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

[Andrew Jackson "A. J." Litteer]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    March 20, 1958    p. 5

A. J. Litteer Dies In Kansas

A. [ndrew] J. [ackson] Litteer, 83, a former resident of the Conway community, died Thursday, March 13, at a nursing home in Paola, Kans., where he had been a patient for several months.  Last rites and burial were at Paola, Kansas, on Sunday.

Mr. Litteer was a son of the late Miles and [Harriett] Eva Chilcote Litteer of Conway and is survived by his wife, the former Miss Josie [Josephine] Valeran of Conway.  Also by two daughters, a son, several grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Bess Smith of Lenox and Mrs. May Spurling of Rapid City, South Dakota.

[LITTEER, ANDREW JACKSON "A. J."]
Iola Register (Iola, Kansas), Thursday, March 13, 1958
A. J. Litteer, 81, a former resident of Iola, died yesterday at the White House Nursing Home, Paola.
Mr. Litteer was born at Conway, Iowa and spent his early life in that vicinity. In 1922 he moved onto a farm near Westphalia, farming there for five years before acquiring a place north of LaHarpe. He operated that farm until moving to Iola in 1943. An auctioneer, he conducted a number of sales in this area before he retired. A year ago he moved to Paola.
He is survived by his wife, 216 W. 68th St., Kansas City; two daughters, Mrs. W. O. Kretzmeier, Prairie Village and Mrs. J. D. Mittelbach, Kansas City; a son, Kenneth of Moran; two sisters, Mrs. Ed Spurling, Rapid City, S. D. and Mrs. William Smith, Lennox, Iowa, and eight grandchildren.
Services will be conducted by the Rev. Paul Pentz at 2:30 p. m. Sunday in the Waugh Funeral Home. Burial will be at the LaHarpe Cemetery.

[LITTEER, ANDREW JACKSON "A. J."]
Iola Register (Iola, Kansas), Wednesday, March 19, 1958
Andrew Jackson Litteer was born March 25, 1877, in Conway, Iowa. He was the son of Miles and Eva Litteer. He spent his early manhood in Taylor County, Iowa and in 1901 he was married to Josephine Valleson [Valleran]. To this union were born three children. In 1922 the family moved to Anderson County, Kansas, where they lived until 1927, at which time they moved to Allen County near La Harpe, Kansas. He left the farm in 1943 and moved to Iola and continued in business at 106 Jefferson Avenue until failing health forced his retirement.
He departed from this life March 12, 1958, at the age of 80 years and 11 months and 13 days. He is survived by his wife who makes her home in Kansas City; one son, Kenneth Litteer of Moran, Kansas; one daughter, Mrs. W. O. Kretzmeier of Prairie Village, Kansas and another daughter, Mrs. John D. Mittelbach of Kansas City, Mo.; two sisters, Mrs. Bess Smith of Lenox, Iowa, and Mrs. Mae Spurling of Rapid City, S. D., and eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends.

 [Esther Eyre Clayton]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    March 20, 1958    p. 5

Mrs. Fred Clayton Dies At Mount Ayr

Mrs. Esther [Eyre] Clayton, 64, of Mount Ayr, died at her home there, Tuesday, March 11.  Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at the Rhoades Funeral Home in Mount Ayr conducted by Rev. Ward Campbell.  Burial was in Rose Hill cemetery there.

Born August 20, 1893, near Sharpsburg, Mrs. Clayton had resided in Ringgold County the past 23 years.

She is survived by her husband, Fred Clayton; two daughters, Maxine, Mrs. Johnnie W. Harris, and Wilma, Mrs. Lee Terwilliger of Mount Ayr; two sons, Dennis of Council Bluffs and Edwin of Omaha.

[Harold Utter]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    March 20, 1958    p. 5

Harold Utter Died In Michigan

Harold Utter, 46, a former resident of Gravity, died unexpectedly following a heart attack, early Tuesday morning, March 18, at his home in Plymouth, Michigan.  He was a son of Mrs. Carrie Utter of Gravity, who is spending the winter with her children in Michigan.  Last rites and burial will be there.

He is survived by his wife and mother, three sisters and two brothers.  Mrs. Verla Moore of Gravity, one of his sisters, left Tuesday for Michigan, called by his death.  She was accompanied by a niece, Mrs. Lorraine Green of Prescott.  Ronald Moore of Bedford is a nephew of the deceased.

[Frank Gail Sexton]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    March 20, 1958    p. 5

F. G. Sexton Rites Held At Bedford

Frank Gail Sexton, son of Nathan and Mae Sexton, was born in Taylor County, Iowa, June 6, 1903, and died at St. Francis hospital, Maryville, March 9, 1958, at the age of 54 years, nine months, three days.

He spent most of his life in Taylor County and the last few years at the family home in Gravity, taking care of his mother to whom he was very devoted.  He was preceded in death by his father.

He leaves to mourn his passing, his mother, Mrs. Mae Sexton; four brothers, Carl of Lenox, Virgil of Bedford, Jesse of Lyle, Wash., Francis of Wishram, Wash.; four sisters, Mrs. Gladys O'Neal of Provo, Utah, Mrs. Beulah Downey, Mrs. Lorna Hardisty of Corning, Mrs. Hazel Green of Cook, Wash.  Also four brothers-in-law, four sisters-in-law, 26 nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were conducted from the Shum Funeral Home, Wednesday, March 12, by Rev. Harold Ingelman of Corning.  Burial in Washington cemetery at Gravity.

[Ephriam M. Johnson]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    March 20, 1958    p. 5

Ephriam Johnson Dies At Clarinda

Ephriam M. Johnson, 84, Braddyville, died at 9:30 a.m., March 12, at a Clarinda hospital.

Mr. Johnson was born and reared in Nodaway County, Mo., and lived there until retiring to Braddyville, 11 years ago.

Mr. Johnson was married to Alma Fine, who died in February 1955.  He was a member of the Methodist Church at Braddyville.

Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Stanford Pence of Maryville and Mrs. Roy Bebout of Hopkins; four granddaughters, five great grandchildren.

[Emma Edith Johnson Laub]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    February 12, 1959    p. 4

Mrs. George Laub Died At Clarinda

Mrs. George Laub [Emma Edith Johnson], 81, died February 6 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Izola Williams in Clarinda.  She was a sister-in-law of Mrs. Floyd Harsh of Bedford.  Funeral services were held in Clarinda Sunday with burial in Shearer cemetery.

 [Rev. Archie A. Ross]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    February 12, 1959    p. 4

Rev. Archie A. Ross Dies In Kansas

Rev. Archie A. Ross, a former minister of the Bedford Presbyterian church, died unexpectedly following a heart attack at his home in Holton, Kansas, January 12.  Last rites were at Holton and interment was at Freeport, Kansas.  He was a pastor of the Bedford church three years, 1942-1944.

Rev. Ross is survived by his wife; two daughters, Murial and Rachel; and a son, Kenneth.


[Charles Thomas Fluke]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    February 12, 1959    p. 4

Tom Fluke Rites Held At Blockton

Tom Fluke, a resident of Taylor County all of his life, died at St. Francis hospital, Maryville on January 29.

Funeral services were held at the Methodist church in Blockton the afternoon of February second, conducted by Rev. Clarence Moore of Clarinda.  Burial in Rose Hill cemetery at Blockton.

Charles Thomas Fluke, son of City May [Nott] and Charles Manual Fluke was born Jan. 4, 1890 at Athelstan, Iowa, and passed away at the age of 69 years and 25 days.

He grew to manhood in the Athelstan vicinity.  On June 5, 1912, he was married to Azelda Hazel Kemery.  They spent most of their married life farming in the Blockton and Athelstan communities.

To this union were born three daughters, Mrs. Reta Miller of Cle Elum, Wash., Mrs. Hazel Lawrence, who preceded him in death in 1953, and Mrs. Cecile Davidson of Blockton.  He was also preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Darrah Fluke.

He leaves to mourn his death, his wife, two daughters; seven grandchildren, Bonnie and Norma Miller of Cle Elum, Wash., Roberta and Michael Lawrence of Oskaloosa, Karl Ray, Jean and Harlan Davidson of Blockton; one brother, Meredith Fluke of Bedford.

[Edna Ruth Jarvis Lyddon]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 9, 1971    p. 7

Mrs. Bert Lyddon Rites Held Nov. 28

Funeral services for Mrs. Bert (Edna) Lyddon [Edna Ruth Jarvis], 78, long time resident of Clearfield, were held November 28 at the Christian church in Clearfield.  Mrs. Lyddon died at the Greater Community Hospital in Creston, November 26.  Interment was in the Clearfield Cemetery.

She is survived by three sons, Dean, Clearfield; Ralph, Oskaloosa, and Richard, Chester, Calif.; ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

[Gladys Clara Ford]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 9, 1971    p. 7

Gladys Ford, 75, Rites Held Dec. 4 In Blockton

Funeral services for Gladys Clara Ford, 75, of Bedford, formerly of Blockton, were held December 4 at the Blockton Methodist Church with Carl Cummings and Rev. William Fry officiating.  Mrs. Ford died December 1, 1971, at Clarinda Municipal Hospital.  Interment was at Rose Hill Cemetery, Blockton.

Gladys Clara Ford, daughter of Melton Ernest and Clara Gartside Ford, was born near Blockton in Taylor County, Iowa, on September 30, 1896.

She lived on the home farm until retiring in 1966 when she moved to Bedford to make her home.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, [Beulah] Marie Fordyce, and brother, Orville.

Survivors include a sister, Georgia Fluke, Bedford; niece, Naomi Fordyce Johnson of Brayton, Ia.; nephews, Francis Fordyce of Oelwein, Ia.; Eldon Fordyce, Aurelia, Ia.; Glen Fluke, Bedford, 12 grand nieces and nephews; cousins and friends.

Gladys was a kind and loving aunt.   All her nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors, were precious to her.  She enjoyed her garden and flowers, and she will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.