Obituaries
submitted by: Julia Johnson - juliajoh@usc.edu

[Vivandra Eugenia Kemery]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 27, 1951    [p. 1]

Miss Vie Kemery Died Sunday, Dec. 23

Miss Vivandra Kemery, 88, died at her home in Bedford Dec. 23, after a long illness.  Funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral home this Thursday afternoon, Dec. 27, conducted by Rev. Robt. M. Peters.  Burial was in Forest Grove Cemetery.

 

[Vivandra Eugenia Kemery]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    January 3, 1952    p. 8

Obituary--Vivandra Kemery

Vivandra Eugenia Kemery, daughter of John and Mary Jane [Hoover] Kemery, was born Nov. 29, 1863 in Taylor County, Iowa, and died at her home in Bedford, Dec. 23, 1951, at the age of 88 years and 24 days.

She lived her entire life in Taylor County except 15 years in Nebraska and Oregon.

She was the ninth child of a family of twelve children and was preceded in death by four sisters, Mary, Marie, Rosa and Effie; and by six brothers, John, Ben [jamin], Will [iam], Henry, Charles and Lon.

She is survived by one sister, Miss Anna Kemery of Bedford, [and] several nieces and nephews.

 

[George Kemery]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    April 24, 1952    p. 4

George Kemery Died April 23

George Kemery, a long-time resident of Bedford and Taylor County, died about 6 a.m. Wednesday, April 23, at his home in Bedford, where he lived with his brother, Francis Kemery.  No funeral arrangements are made as we go to press.

Mr. Kemery had been a member of Bedford Lodge, No. 91, I.O.O.F. for nearly 50 years

 

[Robert D. Dern]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday   January 1, 1953    [p.1]

Dern Killed in Action Over Korea

Lt. Robert D. [orman] Dern, 33, a first lieutenant in the U.S. Marines was killed in action over North Korea, Sunday, Dec. 21, according to word received by his father-in-law, R. [obert] L. [etcher] Henry of Bedford.

Mrs. Dern, the former Miss Arlene Henry of Bedford, and their two children, Vicki, 7, and Teresa, 1-½ years, live in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Other survivors include his mother, several brothers and sisters, all living in Pennsylvania.

Dern had been stationed on the battleship USS Missouri but had been taking pictures from a helicopter over North Korea and was killed while on duty.  Further particulars are not known.

 

[Robert Letcher Henry]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    April 2, 1953   [p.1]

Bob Henry Funeral Held Here Monday

"Bob" Henry, long time resident of the Bedford community, died at his home east of town, [sic] [He died at the home of his son, Hubert, a quarter of a mile from the old family homestead.]

Funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home Monday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Fred H. Cowles.  Burial was in Forest Grove cemetery.

Robert L. [etcher] Henry, son of Mr. and Mrs. Letcher [John Jacob] Henry [Virginia Garnett], was born May 12, 1871 at Memphis, Tenn., and died at the age of 81 years, 10 months, 15 days.

On Sept. 21, 1898 he was married to Alice Webb, and to them eight children were born.

He is survived by three sons, Hubert H. [oover] Henry and Doyle R. [ichard] Henry of [Jackson Township], Bedford, Carol L. [ee] Henry of Martin, S. Dak., three daughters, Mrs. Arlene Dern and Mrs. Lola Eckles of Salt Lake city, Utah, Mrs. Dorothy John of San Francisco, Calif., 10 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, also by one half sister, Mrs. Nellie [Garnett Turner] Smith of Monmouth, Oregon.

Mr. Henry grew to young manhood in Illinois and had lived in with his parents.  He had lived in Jackson Township, Taylor County, the past 60 years.

He was an early member of the Forest Grove Baptist Church, and at the time of his death was a member of the First Baptist Church of Bedford.

He was preceded in death by his wife, two sons, one brother, [and] two sisters.

 

[May Bell Wells Thompson]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    August 30, 1956    [p.1]

Mrs. Elmer Thompson Rites Friday P.M.

Mrs. Elmer Thompson [Bell Wells], 75, died at her home in Bedford early Tuesday morning, August 28.  She is survived by her husband; three daughters, Mrs. Wilma Thomas and Mrs. Cleo Thomas of Bedford, Mrs. Aileen Rosenthal of St. Joseph; three sons, Paul and Claude Thompson of Bedford, Doyle of Castro Valley, California.  Also by a sister, Mrs. Maggie Margason of California.

Funeral services will be held at the Shum Funeral Home at two o'clock Friday afternoon, August 31, conducted by J.D. Dreyer.  Burial will be in New Hope cemetery, south of Bedford.

 

[Imri Lincoln McCloud]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    August 30, 1956    [p.1]

Linc McCloud Rites Held Here Monday

Graveside services for Lincoln McCloud, 96, were held at 2 p.m. Monday, August 27, in Graceland cemetery, Rev. Clement D. Loehr of the Presbyterian Church officiated.

Imri Lincoln McCloud was born at Bedford, March 6, 1860, and died at Doctor's Hospital in Washington, D.C., on August 22 after an illness of three days.  Mr. McCloud was a brother of the late Carr McCloud and also of Irene McCloud and Eva McCloud, long-time teachers in the Bedford schools.  He was employed in Bedford for a number of years in the law office of the late W.E. Crum.

He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of Iowa in 1885, and his law degree there three years later, where he was the third oldest member of Sigma Chi fraternity.  He practiced law and was District Attorney in Omaha several years and later practiced law in Boston.  There he met Theodore Cole, who was with the Statute Law Book firm.  He moved to Washington, D.C., in 1910 and became associated with the firm, taking it over after Mr. Cole's death.  The company published reproductions of old law books, historic legal material and codes.

In 1890, Mr. McCloud married Katherine F. Mullin in Iowa City.  To them were born a son, George Mullin McCloud, and two daughters, Janet and Marie McCloud.  Mrs. McCloud died in 1926.  In 1943 he married Olive Chute, who survives and resides at 3022 Massachusetts Avenue SE in Washington, D.C.

Surviving with his wife are the two daughters, Mrs. R. E. L. Smith [Janet] of Kensington, Md., Mrs. Theodore B. Lashells [Marie] of Cranford, N. J.; a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Stasia [Anastasia Hauber] McCloud, seven grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren.

 Mrs. McCloud and her sister accompanied the body here for the last rites.



 

[James Blaine Ratliff]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    May 16, 1957    [p.] 5

Former Resident Died In Tennessee Apr. 29

James Blaine Ratliff, 72, former resident of Bedford and Hopkins communities, died at his home in Kingsport, Tenn., April 29, following a lingering illness.

He was a member of the Litz Manor Baptist Church there and had been closely associated with the church, especially influenced in choir work since early manhood.

He came to Iowa in 1902 where he met and married Bertha Thompson in 1914.  They resided in this community until 1935 at which time they moved to Kingsport, Tenn.

Bertha preceded him in death in 1948.

Funeral services were held in Litz Manor Baptist Church on Wednesday, May 1, conducted by the Rev. J. L. Trent and Rev. Simms.  Burial was in the city cemetery at Kingsport, Tenn.

Surviving are the second wife, Mrs. Sarah Ratliff of Kingsport, Tenn. Whom he married in 1950; a daughter, Mrs. Olin Mason (Rosalie), and grandson Jimmy Mason of Bedford; one sister, Mrs. Dora Conklin; one brother, N. W. Ratliff; two step-children, a son, Jack May; a daughter, Mrs. Priscilla Davis all of Tennessee; many nieces and nephews and a host of friends.

[RATLIFF, JAMES BLAINE]
Kingsport News (Kingsport, Tennessee), Tuesday, April 30, 1957
James Blaine Ratliff – James Blaine Ratliff, 72, died at 12:45 a. m. Monday at his home, 1429 Miller Street, following a lingering illness.
Born in Greene County, he had spent the past 20 years in Sullivan County. He was part owner and operated the Gibson Mill on Poplar Street until his retirement three years ago. He was a member of Litz Manor Baptist Church.
Survivors include: his wife, Mrs. Sara Ratliff; one daughter, Mrs. Olin Mason, Bedford, Iowa; one sister, Mrs. Dora Conklin, Kingsport; one brother, N. W. Ratliff, Bristol; one stepson, Jack May and one stepdaughter, Mrs. Tom Davis, both of Kingsport. He is also survived by one grandson and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 2 p. m. Wednesday in the Litz Manor Baptist Church. The Rev. Richard Sims and the Rev. J. L. Trent will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery.
The body will be taken from Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home to the home at 2 p. m. Tuesday where it will remain until one hour before services at which time it will be taken to the church.

 

[Mary Iowa "Ode" Kemery]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    October 23, 1952    [p.1]

Miss Ode Kemery Died Unexpectedly

Miss Ode Kemery, a resident of Taylor County most of her life, died unexpectedly at her apartment home Saturday evening, Oct. 18, after being at her usual duties at Thompson's store during the afternoon.

Funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home, Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Fred. H. Cowles.  Burial was in Forest Grove cemetery.

Mary Iowa (Ode) Kemery, daughter of Benjamin [Franklin] and Ann [a] [Allcott] Kemery, was born Nov. 3, 1881 in Jackson Township, Taylor County, and died at the age of 70 years, 11 months, 15 days.

She has worked in many places but Ode has always been at home.  She was second of a family of nine children.

She is survived by three sisters:  Mrs. Osta Amrine of Blockton; Mrs. Rose Bothel of Denver, Colo.; Mrs. Georgia Ford of Blockton; one brother, Floyd Kemery of Detroit, Mich.; and one aunt, Miss Ann Kemery of Bedford.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, [and] two brothers.

She was a member of the Christian Science group.

 

[Robert Orr Ford]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    November 13, 1952    [p. 1]

Bob Ford Died At Blockton Sunday

Robert O. [rr] Ford, 67, died at his home in Blockton Nov. 8 following an illness of several months.

Funeral services were held at the Christian church in Blockton Monday afternoon, conducted by Rev. George W. Swan, a former pastor, assisted by Rev. C. A. Abbott, present minister of the church.  Burial was in Rose Hill cemetery at Blockton. Bethany Masonic lodge of Blockton was in charge of the graveside services.