Obituaries
submitted by: Julia Johnson - julia.johnson63@gmail.com

[Blanche Thompson Wood]

Scrapbook Entry No Date or Source Given

November 1950

Blanche Thompson

Blanche Thompson was born August 21, 1874, on a farm west of Bedford, Iowa.  She was the daughter of Orson and Fannie Gilbert Thompson.  She had one brother, Ralph, a half-brother, Roy Deremer, and a half-sister, Anna Deremer.  Her father passed away when she was quite small.

She was united in marriage with Leon Wood, May 15, 1901, to which union one son, Donald, was born.  She sustained the loss of her son September 26, 1941, and her husband, March 14, 1945.

For the past three years, she has made her home with a niece, Dorothy Coe Welch, in Mapleton, Oregon, next door to her sister, Mrs. Anna Coe, who cared for her during her illness.

Mrs. Wood was a life-long Christian and member of the Methodist Church.  Her sister-in-law, Mrs. Daisy Wood Van Sant, said of her, "I have never in all my experience known any one who bore each sorrow and affliction of body and mind so uncomplainingly.  She was one of the greatest characters I have ever known."

She went through more angry seas, endured more discomforts, had more trouble and pain than a dozen average persons, and she bore them all with the same unfaltering trust.

                        "From every stormy wind that blows,

                              From every swelling tide of woes

                           There is a clam, a sure retreat----

                               It is the Father's mercy-seat."

[WOOD, BLANCHE THOMPSON]
Eugene Guard (Eugene, Oregon), Sunday, November 5, 1950
Blanche Wood – Blanche Wood, 76, resident of Mapleton the past three years, died Nov. 3. She was born in Iowa Aug. 21, 1874.
Surviving are a sister, Mrs. Anna Coe; a niece, Mrs. Paul Welsh.
Services will be Sunday at 3 p. m. at Mapleton Church, with the Rev. Albert E. Coe officiating. Cremation will follow. Miller-Sherman-Murphy Mortuary of Junction City will have charge.

[Lee Walter Harrington]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    February 5, 1959    p. 4

Grandfather Dies Tuesday

Lee [Walter] Harrington, 75, of Council Bluffs, died there February 3.  Mrs. Harrington [Margaret Elizabeth Louise Hinkel  Henderson] survives.  Funeral services will be held in Council Bluffs today, Thursday, February 5, with burial there.  Mrs. Donald [Clarence] Thompson [Margaret Ann Henderson] of Bedford is a granddaughter of Mr. Harrington.  Mr. and Mrs. Thompson plan to attend the last rites.

[Ida Agnes Mick Savage]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    February 5, 1959    p. 4

Mrs. Ida Savage, 89, Passed Away Thurs.

Mrs. Ida Savage of Gravity died at Municipal Hospital, Clarinda, Thursday, January 29.  Funeral services were held at the Gravity Church of Christ Monday afternoon, conducted by Clarence M. Potter, pastor of the New Market Christian church.  Burial in Washington cemetery at Gravity.

Ida Agnes Mick, daughter of Levi and Almina Mick, was born in Henry County, Iowa, March 5, 1869 and died at the age of 89 years, 10 months, 24 days.

She came to Taylor County in 1875 and lived on the same farm all her life with the exception of six years spent in Gravity.

She was united in marriage to Nelson Savage on January 1, 1888.  This union was blessed by two sons:  Chester A. and Cleo N.  She mothered a niece, Osa Wallace, from a child of two years to womanhood.

Mrs. Savage united with the Gravity Church of Christ during evangelistic meetings in 1889.

[E. L. Cannon]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    February 5, 1959     p. 4

E. L. Cannon, 74, Died At Mount Ayr

E. L. Cannon, 74, died at his home in Mount Ayr, Sunday, February first, after a lingering illness.  Funeral services were held in Mount Ayr Tuesday afternoon, with burial in the cemetery there.

Mr. Cannon is survived by his wife, four daughters, four sons and grandchildren.  Two of the daughters, Mrs. Donald Kemple and Mrs. Donald Johnson live in Bedford.

Attending the last rites from Bedford were Mr. and Mrs. Kemple, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Moore.

[Charles Thomas Fluke]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    February 5, 1959    p. 4

Tom Fluke, 69, Died Thursday

Charles Thomas Fluke, 69, a resident of the Blockton-Athelstan community [for] many years, died at St. Francis Hospital, Maryville, Thursday, January 29.

Funeral services were held at the Blockton Methodist Church Monday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Clarence Moore of Clarinda, a former pastor at Blockton.  Burial in Rose Hill Cemetery.

[Mrs. E. C. Wright]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    February 5, 1959    p. 4

Mrs. E. C. Wright Rites At Mount Ayr

Funeral services for Mrs. E. [lba] C. [lyde] Wright [Lola] of Mount Ayr were held Thursday afternoon from the Rhoades Funeral Home in Mount Ayr, conducted by Rev. John A. Lippincott.  Burial in Rose Hill Cemetery there.

Mrs. Wright died Tuesday, January 27, in the Ringgold County hospital, where she had been a patient for a month.  She was 73 years of age.

[James Earl Hughes]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    January 19, 1967    [p.] 3

James Hughes Dies In Omaha

Funeral services for James Earl Hughes, 77, of Omaha, formerly of Lenox, were held Jan. 11 at State Street Shum-Novinger Funeral Home in Bedford with Rev. J. Milton Kinney officiating.  Mr. Hughes died Jan. 7, 1967, at Immanuel Hospital in Omaha.  Interment was at Fairview Cemetery, Bedford.

James Earl Hughes, son of Thomas C. and Jane Russell Hughes, was born near Lenox, Iowa, Sept. 25, 1889.  Earl grew up in Taylor County and lived most of his life here.  He attended the public schools, and showed considerable interest in the sports of his day.

On Feb. 14, 1912, he and Ora Belle Butts were married at Bedford, and to this union one son, Harold E. Hughes, was born.  The family lived in Taylor County and were active in farm work until 1941.  That year they moved to Omaha, Nebr.

On Nov. 12, 1946, the family was broken.  At that time Mrs. Hughes passed away after suffering several years as an invalid.

On Nov. 24, 1948, Mr. Hughes and Sadie Gunzenhauser were married in Omaha, Nebr., where they made their home.

Earl was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Ora Belle; and two brothers, Anson R., and Ralph C. Hughes.

He is survived by his wife, Sadie; one son, Harold E. Hughes; three stepdaughters, Ruth Hank, Haskin, Nebr., Margaret Jergorson, Carroll, Nebr., Aulda F. Legan, Omaha, Nebr.; two nephews, three nieces, five grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and a number of friends.

[Robert Thomas "Bobby" Smalley]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 18, 1958    p. 4

Bobby Smalley Died Tuesday Morn

Bobby Smalley [Robert Thomas], 9, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Smalley, jr. [Myrtle Alexander], of Clarinda, died at the home early Tuesday morning.  He is survived by his parents, former residents of the Bedford-Gravity community, and by a younger sister [Christine Ann].

Funeral services will be held at the Wetmore Funeral Home at two o'clock Friday afternoon, Rev. Colvin Caughey of the Baptist church officiating.

[Christena May Hamilton Gant]

Times-Republican

Thursday    May 13, 1926    [p. 6]

Christena May Hamilton

Christena May Hamilton, daughter of S. D. and Julia Hamilton, was born near New Market, Taylor County, Iowa, October 20, 1895, and departed this life May 2nd, 1926, at her home near Turpin, Okla., aged 30 years, 6 months and 12 days.  After many months of sickness the end came suddenly and peacefully.  At the age of 12 years she was converted and became a member of the Gilead church in which she still retained her faith in Christ and was active in church and Sunday School work.  She was also a member of the Eastern Star.  On June 7th, 1914, she was united in marriage to Frank G. Gant, who still remains to mourn her departure.  Besides her husband, she leaves her father, mother and three brothers, Charles of Bedford, James of Yuma, Colo., and Robert of Gravity.   One sister, Mary Elizabeth and one brother, David Lymna, preceded her in death.  She also leaves a host of relatives and friends.  She was a true and loving wife, a true friend and neighbor, always ready to help in time of trouble.

Funeral services were held at the Gilead church May 6th, conducted by Rev. Warrior of Gravity.  Interment was made in the Gravity cemetery.  Those from a distance attending the funeral were Mrs. Jule Thomas of Tyrone, Okla., Mr. and Mrs. Glen Huffman of Altoona, Ia., C. Lam of Omaha, Nebr., and James F. Hamilton of Yuma, Colo.


[Lida Estella Woodyard]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    November 19, 1959    [p.] 5

Miss Lida Woodyard Rites At Clarinda

Miss Lida Woodyard, 90, a long time resident and schoolteacher in Taylor County, died Saturday, November 7, at the Florence Nursing Home in Omaha where she had been a resident for many years.

Funeral services were held at the Walker Funeral Home in Clarinda, Thursday, November 12, conducted by Rev. Clarence Moore.  Burial was in the Clarinda cemetery.

Miss Woodyard was born at Grafton, West Virginia.  She retired 25 years ago after employment with the Meredith Publishing Company at Des Moines for 19 years.  Her home had been in the Florence Home at Omaha during a quarter century.

She was a sister of Walter Woodyard of New Market and an aunt of Don Johnson of Bedford.  Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were in Clarinda for the last rites.

[Nathan Stremmel]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    November 19, 1959    [p.] 5

Nathan Stremmel Died In Bedford

Nathan Stremmel, 93, retired farmer at Lenox, suffered a stroke and was brought to a Nursing Home in Bedford where he died Wednesday, Nov. 11.

He was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., moving one year later with his parents to Illinois.  He had lived in Lenox many years and had been employed at the Davis Elevator Company 11 years before his retirement.

Survivors are two daughters, Mrs. Dora Frederick, Table Grove, Ill., Miss Julia Stremmel, at home in Lenox; two sons, Harve Stremmel of Macomb, Ill., Lloyd Stremmel of Lewiston, Ill.; six grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and a number of great great grandchildren, making the five generations.  His wife preceded him in death in 1949.  A daughter also preceded him.

Services were conducted at the Bender Funeral Home in Lenox Friday at 2 p. m., Rev. Burton C. Collier officiating.  Burial in Lenox cemetery.