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

[Clarence Gilbert Simpson]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    November 29, 1906    [p. 1]

At Rest.

Clarence Gilbert Simpson was born at Hawleyville, Page County, Iowa, February 6, 1864, and departed this life at 2:45 p. m. on November 22, 1906, aged 42 years, 9 months and 16 days.  He was married to Delpha M. Hall, December 29, 1886.  To this union was born one son, Alfred E. [veret] Simpson, who remains at home to care for his now widowed mother.  The deceased resided in this community all his life and with the exception of two years has lived on the old home place.  He was converted in 1894 and united with the M. E. church, at Gilead, Ia., under the labors of Rev. E. H. Curtis and remained a faithful member of the church until his death.  He was a kind husband and loving father, a good citizen and friendly neighbor.  He was held in high esteem by all who knew him.  There remains to mourn his departure a sorrowing wife, and son; a bereft mother, (Mrs. Fanny [McCloud] Simpson, two brothers, Eugene H. [arlan] Simpson, of Des Moines, Ia. and Ira W. [illis] Simpson, of California; all of whom were present at the funeral.  He also leaves a large number of friends and acquaintances who mourn the early departure of the beloved husband, son and brother.  The father preceded the son into the silent land, he having died in 1865.

Funeral services were conducted at the home Sunday, Nov. 25, at 10 o'clock a. m. by Rev. Freedline, pastor of the M. E. church at Gravity.  Bro. Simpson's body was laid to rest in Fairview cemetery, at Bedford.  Despite the inclemency of the weather a large concourse of people were present to pay a tribute of respect to one whom they dearly loved.

[SIMPSON, CLARENCE GILBERT]
Bedford Free Press (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, November 29, 1906
--Carr McCloud came up from Shreveport, La., Friday to attend the funeral of Bert Simpson. Mr. McCloud is an old Bedford boy who is prospering in his Louisiana home, but he always has a warm spot in his heart for old Bedford friends.

[SIMPSON, CLARENCE GILBERT]
Bedford Free Press (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, November 29, 1906
--Eugene Simpson, an old Bedford boy, but now of Des Moines, arrived Friday, called by the death of his brother.

[Guy Kelly]

Taylor County Democrat

Thursday    February 7, 1895

Guy, son of Mr. & Mrs. N. [ewton] D. [ickey] Kelly [Laura Sterman], died at Athelstan, Tuesday evening.  The funeral service will be conducted from the First Presbyterian Church in this city at 1 o'clock p. m. today.  Interment in the Titus [Graceland] cemetery.  Friends of the family are invited to attend the services, which will be conducted by Rev. Wylie.

[Guy Kelly]

Taylor County Democrat

Thursday    February 14, 1895

Beautiful, yet sad and impressive were the funeral services held over the mortal remains of Guy Kelly on last Thursday afternoon at the First Presbyterian church.

The services were conducted by Rev. Wylie and were attended by a large number of former school companions of the deceased, after which the body was conveyed to the Titus [Graceland} cemetery, where sad but loving friends lowered the beautiful casket containing all that was mortal of young Guy Kelly into its last resting place.

When the old die, we say, "'Tis finished."  The book of their mortal life is closed and sealed.  Life for them was fast becoming a burden, with the infirmity of advanced years, and they welcome the grave as a resting place from life's cares and sorrows.  But when those who in the flesh of a strong and vigorous young manhood are called upon to die, we cannot so easily repress the sigh of regret.

Only a few weeks ago, Guy was a strong, healthy young man, with a seemingly bright future before him, but disease laid its blighting hand upon him and, although he battled bravely for life, the end came at about 1 o'clock p. m. Tuesday morning, February 5, 1895. 

Guy Kelly was born, and lived all his life in Taylor County.  His age was 21 years, 5 months and 1 day.

[Laura Sterman Kelly]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    November 8, 1923

Mrs. N. D. Kelly Dead

Mrs. N. [ewton] D. [ickey] Kelly [Laura Sterman] died at her home early this morning, after a lingering illness of a good many years.  She was one of the early pioneers of this community.  Funeral services will be held from the Presbyterian church at 2:30 o'clock on Saturday, November 10, conducted by the minister, Rev. Lumbar.  Full obituary will be printed next week.

[The same notice was published in the Times-Republican, November 8, 1923.]

[Laura Sterman Kelly]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    November 15, 1923

Laura Sterman was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, October 1, 1848 and at the age of 8 years came by team with her parents to Taylor County, Iowa.  In February 1870, she was married to N. [ewton] D. [ickey] Kelly and on the wild prairie NW of Bedford, they made a comfortable home.  Here they lived until 18 years ago when they moved to Bedford.  Much of the time in early life she made her home with an uncle and aunt.  In early life she joined the Gilead M. E. church, but upon removal to Bedford, she united with the Presbyterian Church.  In the country and in town, she was an active, helpful worker until fraility of body prevented further labor.

Never very strong, the past two years witnessed a steady decline of strength and for about a year she had been able to see but little.  These two years have been years of intense suffering, but through it all, she kept her cheerful, hopeful disposition, and always kept a vital faith in her Master, receiving strength and consolation from her religion.  It was never a passive matter with her.

Mrs. Kelly took an active part in the Missionary Society and in the Ladies Aid.  She was the first to invite the wives of the trustees to meet with them in their meetings.  This social feature has been very beneficial the past four years.

Mr. and Mrs. Kelly had one child, a boy, Guy, who lived to be about 21.  Before their marriage, Mrs. Kelly taught about 5 years.  For 3 years, she helped Mr. Kelly in their store in Athelstan.

Admist the pioneer days of hard work and few comforts, as we think of them, as well as in the days of larger possessions, she was a kind neighbor, a faithful wife and mother, a friend to all, a Christian woman.

A few lines from the poem, 'The Secret', explains her life:

Through all these days and years, her tender life

Has been much pricked and cruel thorns of pain,

And yet in all the stinging and the strife

No ear has heard her lips complain.

No task has been refused, no aid withheld,

She makes each day's achievement overflow.

I marvel at the way her skill excelled,

And sought the secret of her power to know.

I thought it was her eyes, such lustrous eyes

I thought it was her mind, her intellect.

Her toil-worn hands, art-shaped, maintain their skill,

Her wondrous eyes still flash a searching lite.

Her mind in judgment clear obeys her will;

Yet none of these reveal the secret quite.

So after all our years of comradeship

My own dim eyes have keened her secret art;

No varied gifts can so with power equip

Her secret is her very soul---her heart. .  .

A large number of the older residents attended the funeral service conducted by Rev. Lumbar of the Presbyterian Church, Saturday afternoon, the interment being at the Graceland Cemetery.

[The same obituary was published in the Times-Republican, November 15, 1923.]

[Newton Dickey Kelly]

Times-Republican

Thursday    September 20, 1928

N. D. Kelly

N. [ewton] D. [ickey] Kelly passed away at his home in Bedford Wednesday evening, at 6:45 o'clock, having been sick only since Monday afternoon.  He was 88 years old and a Civil War veteran.  The funeral services will be held at the Presbyterian Church Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock, conducted by Rev. J. A. Currie.  Interment will be made in the Graceland Cemetery.

[Alpha Irene Simpson Webster]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    January 27, 1966   p. 5

Mrs. Roy Webster Dies In Texas

Mrs. Roy Webster of Ft. Worth, Texas, died in that city January 21.  Funeral services and interment were held January 24 at Ft. Worth.

Mrs. Webster was the former [Alpha] Irene Simpson, former Bedford resident.  She was a niece of Mrs. Albert Salen [Grace Roberts].


[Roy Webster]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    July 28, 1960    [p. 1]

Roy Webster Dies in Fort Worth, Texas

Roy Webster, 70, a former resident of Bedford, died Saturday, July 23, in Fort Worth, Texas, after an illness of more than a year.  Last rites and burial were there.

He is survived by his wife, the former Miss Irene Simpson of Bedford; by a daughter [Elizabeth May] and her husband; and by three granddaughters.

 [Mary Madge Bailie Meikle]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    March 29, 1973    p. 3

Hold Last Rites March 20 For Mrs. Roy Meikle

Funeral services for Mrs. Roy (Mary Madge) Meikle, 88, of Maryville, formerly of Bedford, held March 20 at Shum-Novinger Funeral Home in Bedford, were conducted by Rev. C. Ray McCain.  Mrs. Meikle died March 16, 1973, at Park Dale Manor in Maryville, Mo.  Interment was at Fairview Cemetery, Bedford.

Mary Madge Bailie Meikle was born on May 14, 1884, in Jackson Township, to William [Wallace] and Nancy [Hoover] Bailie.  She attended school in Jackson Township.

On June 12, 1907, she was married to Roy Meikle.

She joined the Morning Star Presbyterian Church and was affiliated with the Bedford Presbyterian Church.

To her and her husband were born three children: Marjorie Madge Jensen, Maryville, Mo.; William Ermil, Bedford; Ruth Nan [Nancy Ruth] Koser, North Liberty, Ia.

There are five grandchildren: Robert Wayne Koser, Karen Lynn Freeman, Stephen Roy Koser, Mary Jo Weir and Janelle Ruth Wilson.  There are also eight great grandchildren.

She lived with her daughter, Marjorie, in Maryville for the last five years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, three sisters and one brother.

Mary was a home and family body, not one to be called a "joiner".  Her children, her husband and family concerns were the most of her life.

She has lived a full life.  Most of her generation is gone, yet she will be deeply missed.


[Francis Oswald Hoover]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    March 9, 1961    p. 5

Francis Hoover, 75, Dies In California

Francis O. [swald] Hoover, 75 year old retired Modesto, Calif., attorney, died unexpectedly in his home on Saturday, Jan. 28, 1961.  Last rites and private committal were in Modesto.

Hoover was born on a farm southeast of Bedford to Mr. and Mrs. Oswald Hoover [Keturah Hardenbrook], who moved to California in the 1890's.  He and his brothers, Ben [jamin] and Hubert received their elementary schooling in the Santa Rita (Calif.) district and all were graduated from Lompoc high school.

Mr. Hoover was graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1907 and from the Boalt School of Law, also at Berkeley, in 1908.  He was married in Modesto [to Ethel Beard], practiced law there for many years and was active in all Bar Association and civic affairs.  He was a charter member of the Lions club and was an elder in the Presbyterian Church.

He is survived by his wife, two sons [Robert Francis and Benjamin Beard], two grandchildren, and a brother, General Hubert Don Hoover, ret., of Maryland.

[Ernest Grant Hamilton]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    August 6, 1959    [p. 1]

Ernie Hamilton Rites Here Tuesday P.M.

Ernest Hamilton, more familiarly known as "Ernie", died at the Armstrong Nursing Home in Bedford, Saturday, August 1, after an illness of several months.

Last rites were held at the Presbyterian Church Tuesday afternoon, August 4with Kenneth Miller and Rev. E. M. McGehee officiating.

Ernest [Grant] Hamilton was born September 27, 1874, and died at the age of 84 years, 10 months, four days.  He was a farmer for many years and after the death of his wife, he moved into Bedford, where he has been an employee of Cobb's Ice Cream plant for many years.  He was a member of the Bedford Presbyterian Church.

[Wayland Hoyt Maloy]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    January 2, 1958    [p. 1]

Dr. Wayland Maloy, Prominent M. D., Dies

Dr. Wayland H. [oyt] Maloy, 61, a physician and surgeon in Shenandoah 26 years, died at 4:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon, Dec. 26, at Hand Community Hospital following an extended illness.

Dr. Maloy is survived by his wife [Jean Thompson]; a son, John [Thompson] Maloy, who is an opera student in Hamburg, Germany; Dr. Maloy's mother, Mrs. J. [ohn] T. [hompson] Maloy of Bedford; and a sister, Mrs. Lillian Gilliland of Lenox.  John Maloy recently returned to Germany after coming home to see his father.  John's wife [Charlotte] remained in the United States.

The funeral was held at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon at the Buntz-Tawzer Funeral Home with Rev. Robert L. Chalmers, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating.  Burial in the family lot at Bedford.

A memorial fund, which friends are establishing, has been designated for Hand Community Hospital of which Dr. Maloy was building chairman when the first addition was made to the original building.

Dr. Maloy was born December 7, 1896, at Redding, Iowa, a son of John T. [hompson] Maloy and Amy D. [ora] Warden Maloy.  He was educated at Blockton High School and the State University of Iowa where he received his BA degree in 1922 and his MD in 1925.  He was a member of Sigma Nu and Phi Rho Sigma fraternities.

Dr. Maloy was married to Miss Jean Thompson of Bedford in June 1926 at Iowa City and they have one son, John.

For five years, Dr. Maloy was an intern at the University of Iowa hospitals from 1925 to 1930.  In 1931 he became associated with Dr. S. D. Maiden in Council Bluffs.  In December 1931 he began his practice here as an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist.

The doctor served the Page County Medical Society as president and was a member of the Iowa State Medical Society, the American Medical Association and American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology.

Dr. Maloy was a member of Kiwanis Club, Masonic Lodge and the "I" club of the State University of Iowa.  His office was in the City National Bank Buildings until he closed it a number of months ago because of his ill health.

---- Shenandoah Sentinel

[Robert Cleveland Marley]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    February 28, 1963

Robert C. Marley Rites Feb. 18

Funeral services for Robert Cleveland Marley, lifelong Taylor county farmer, held Feb. 18, in Bedford, were conducted by V. N. Gilbert of Des Moines.  Interment was in Fairview cemetery, Bedford.

Included in the services was this obituary: Robert Cleveland Marley, son of Oren [Lafayette] and Elizabeth [Richardson] Marley, was born September 23, 1884, in Ross township near Bedford, Iowa.  He departed this life February 16, 1963, at his home south of Bedford at the age of 78 years, 4 months and 24 days. On January 15, 1908, he was united in marriage to Edna Jared and to this union were born two sons, Carl and Wayne, both of Bedford. On January 19, 1958, they celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. He has been a member of the Berea Church of Christ since 1914. Having spent his entire life as a farmer in the community where he was born and raised, he was well known and respected by all. [He is survived by his wife] Edna [Jared], his sons and their wives, five grandchildren, Robert [Troy] Marley, Lois Coulter, Janet Book, James Marley, and Nancy Marley.  The great grandchildren are Michael and Timothy Coulter, Richard and Steven Marley, Jo Ellen and Doyle Book and Daniel Marley. [He is also survived by] one brother, John, presently of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and one sister, Jennie Trumbo, of Bedford, one niece and two nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, William, Fred and [Floyd] Marley.

He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Relatives attending the Marley services from a distance were:  Mr. and Mrs. Robert [Troy] Marley [Patricia Cooper] of Beatrice, Nebraska; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Coulter [Lois Marley] of Lexington, Missouri; Mr. James Marley of Mexico, Missouri; Miss Nancy Marley of Columbia, Missouri; Mr. and Mrs. Harry Wolfe [Ruth Jared] and Don Miles of Ord, Nebraska; Mr. and Mrs. Guy Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. Will McMahill and Mrs. Ann Wolfe of Osborn, Missouri; Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Pickett of Osceola, Nebraska; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Pickett of Genoa, Nebraska, and Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Cox of New Market.