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

[Lena Busby Jared]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    September 26, 1963    p. 4

Final Rites For Lena C. Jared

Funeral services for Mrs. Lena C. Jared, 91, long-time Bedford resident, were held Aug. 15 at the Keating and Beemer funeral home in Creston.  Rev. Myron E. Hayes, retired Methodist minister, officiated.  Mrs. Jared died at the Olson nursing home in Creston Aug. 13, following a long illness.  Burial was at Prairie Lawn cemetery at Spaulding.

Lena C. Busby was born at Hebron, Feb. 3, 1872.  She was the daughter of Dudley F. and Elizabeth Tucker Busby.  When she was 17 years old she began a teaching career which included work in the Orient, Greenfield and Bridgewater schools.  In 1906 she gave up her teaching career and entered nurses training at the Presbyterian hospital at Chicago, Ill.  She graduated as a registered nurse at Greater Community Hospital and for several years was superintendent of the hospital, during which time she conducted the school of nursing at the hospital.  She gave up her nursing career when she married Delbert Jared at Creston on Oct. 27, 1925.  Mr. Jared died in 1947.

Mrs. Jared is survived by a large number of nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Jared was a member of the First Methodist Church in Creston.  She had been a member of the P. E. O. Sisterhood for 60 years and had been a member of Chapter CU (Bedford) since 1927.

[Winfred E. Robb]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    September 26, 1963    p. 4

Rev. Robb Dies In California

Rev. Winfred E. Robb, former Bedford pastor, died recently [August 28th] in Riverside, Calif.  Rev. Robb, former pastor of the Bedford Christian church, was pastor of the Arlington Christian church in Riverside at the time of his death.

During World War I he served as a chaplain and after the war he conducted graveside services for many Iowa servicemen shipped home from Europe.  He served as sheriff of Polk County before moving to Calif.

Survivors include his wife, Helen, and two sons, Robert and Martin of Riverside.

Funeral services were held in Riverside with burial in Olivewood cemetery.

[Daisy Keene Martin]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    September 26, 1963    p. 4

Former Bedford Resident Dies

Mrs. Daisy Martin, 84, of Omaha, Nebr., died in that city Mon., Sept. 16, following injuries received two weeks previously when she was struck by a car.  Last rites and burial were in Omaha Saturday, Sept. 21.

Mrs. Martin was a resident of Bedford many years ago when she was Daisy Keene, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Keene.  Her nephews, also former residents of Bedford, Vernon Ashford of Des Moines, and Ray Ashford of Chicago, were in Omaha for the funeral services.  She was the last of the Keene family and is survived by one son, Beryl Martin, of Omaha.

[Loretta Frances Weaver Leighton]

Bedford Free Press

Wednesday    August 1, 1917    [p. 1]

New Market Lady Dies From Heat

Mrs. Elmer Leighton [Loretta Weaver] died at her home five miles northeast of New Market Monday morning after an illness of but a few hours.  The family had spent the day visiting at the home of their son, who lives west of Bedford, and on arriving home in the evening, Mrs. Leighton remarked, as she got out of the automobile, of not feeling well and before she reached the house she lost consciousness and never regained it.  It is supposed she was overcome with the excessive heat.  She leaves to mourn her death, a husband, seven children and an aged brother.  Obituary will be printed next week.

[LEIGHTON, LORETTA FRANCES "RETTA" WEAVER]
Bedford Times-Republican (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, August 2, 1917
Heat Claims One Victim
Had Been Visiting Son Near Bedford
Mrs. E. E. Leighton of New Market, Stricken Sunday Evening and Died Early Monday Morning.
The extreme heat claimed one victim in our community this week, Mrs. E. E. Leighton, residing five miles northeast of New Market, passing away Monday morning at 3:00 following a stroke suffered Sunday evening. Mr. and Mrs. Leighton had been spending the day with their son Roy near Bedford and while returning home, the deceased commenced to complain of the warmth, saying that she was unwell. She lapsed into unconsciousness just she reached home and remained in that condition until death.
The Leighton family is well known in the New Market vicinity and the sudden demise has cast a shroud of sorrow over the community. Besides her husband she leaves seven children, Mrs. John Ridnour of Gravity, Roy, of near Bedford, Don of Hopkins, Mrs. Beulah Price of Gravity, Coryl, Opal and Glenn at home. An aged mother, Mrs. Mary Weaver, three brothers and one sister also survive.
The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock from the home and interment was made in Dallas cemetery.
The bereaved relatives have the condolence of the entire community.

[LEIGHTON, LORETTA FRANCES "RETTA" WEAVER]
Bedford Free Press (Bedford, Iowa), Wednesday, August 1, 1917
The many friends of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Leighton of Dallas township were greatly shocked when early Monday morning last, they received the message that Mrs. Leighton had passed away. The end had come with scarcely a moments warning.
Loretta Francis Weaver was born in McDonough county, Illinois, June 23, 1866, where her happy childhood days were spent. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Weaver, moved to Taylor county, Iowa, in the fall of 1877, where Retta, as she was familiarly called, was reared and educated in the Dallas Center school. She was united in marriage September 6, 1883, to Elmer E. Leighton, when they began the building of the home on the land upon which the family still reside. Twelve children came to the Leighton home. Five died in infancy. Seven children: Blanche, Roy, Donald, Coryl, Bulah [Beulah], Opal and Glenn, together with the husband, still survive. She also leaves her aged mother, Mrs. May Weaver, and sister, Mrs. D. T. Dunlavy of Sioux City, three brothers, William I. and George G. of Taylor county, and Joseph O. of St. Paul, Minnesota. There are also nine grandchildren and many friends to mourn the loss of one whose place can never be filled.
At the age of eleven the deceased made a public profession of faith in her Savior, uniting with the Union congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, located near Dallas Center, and continued a faithful member as long as the congregation continued to exist, and she was a faithful Christian until her death. Her last illness was only of a few hours duration. Peacefully and quietly, she answered the call of her master. July 30, 1917, at 3 o'clock a.m., aged 51 years, 1 month and 7 days.
Thus passed away one of God's noble women whose Christian spirit was exemplified in her motherly devotion to her family, and her willing service and sacrifice for any case of need in the community.
The funeral was held from the Leighton home Wednesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. W. C. McClelland of Corning. Beside the relatives a very large number of friends and neighbors were in attendance, who spoke freely and feelingly of the many Christian graces in the life of the deceased.