Obituaries
submitted by: Julia Johnson - julia.johnson63@gmail.com
 
 
[Igou, Anna Lewis]

Bedford Times-Republican

Thursday     August 22, 1929     p. 8

Mrs. Anna Igou

Anna L. Lewis was born at Berlin, Wis., July 3, 1856, and died at Bedford, Ia., Aug. 20th, 1929, aged 73 years, 1 month and 17 days. At about two years of age she came with her parents to Bedford, and grew to young womanhood here. She was married to Frank Igou in 1875, and to them one daughter was born who died at the age of near 2 years. After her marriage her home for a while, about five years, was in Liberal, Kansas, but most of her married life was spent in Kansas City. Her husband, Frank Igou, died nearly ten years ago. She united with the Presbyterian Church when a girl and her membership is still with the church here.

Mrs. Igou had been residing in Kansas City and was visiting relatives here at the time of her death. She is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Ella Faith and Mrs. Jas. H. Daugherty and one brother, F. N. Lewis, all of Bedford. Funeral services were held at the Lewis home Wednesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. M. R. Talley, and interment was made in Bedford Cemetery.

[Igou, Ella Ray]

Iowa South-West

Saturday    January 4, 1879     p. 5

—New Year's day; two deaths occurred in our city—Mrs. Sarah Houck at the advanced age of ninety years, also little Ella Ray, daughter of Frank and Anna Igou, not quite two years old.

[Kemper, Anna Jane “Jennie” Hadley]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday      December 9, 1954     [p. 1]

Mrs. Ed Kemper Buried Here Sunday

Mrs. Ed Kemper, 76, died in Maywood, Ill., December 2. Funeral services were held in Chicago Saturday and the body was brought to Bedford for graveside services at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon. Rev. Wilbur Travis officiated at the burial in Bedford cemetery.

Mrs. Kemper will be remembered here as Miss Jennie (Anna Jane) Hadley. She lived in Bedford when young and also after her marriage in later years. Mr. Kemper died several years ago. She is survived by several children and grandchildren.

[Kemper, Edgar Vermillion]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    August 30, 1934    [p. 1]

Ed Kemper Dies At Aurora, Nebr.

Ed [gar Vermillion] Kemper, a former resident of Bedford, died unexpectedly at his home in Aurora, Nebr., early Sunday morning. The funeral services were held in Aurora Wednesday afternoon and the body brought to Bedford today for burial in the Bedford cemetery. Short services were held at the grave conducted by Rev. J. C. Harris.

[Kemper, Mary Lou]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday     September 2, 1937     [p. 1]

Mary Lou Kemper Dies

Mary Lou Kemper, 18, died in Lincoln, Nebr., Wednesday, Sept. 1 after a two days' illness. The funeral services will be held in Lincoln Friday afternoon and the body will be brought to the Bedford cemetery for burial. She was a daughter of Jennie Hadley Kemper and the late Ed Kemper, former residents of Bedford. She was also a niece of Miss Cora Kemper.

[Kemper, Mary Lou]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday     September 9, 1937    p. 8

Hold Last Rites For Mary Kemper

Burial services for Mary Lou Kemper, 20, of Lincoln, Nebr., were held at the Bedford cemetery at 11 o'clock Saturday morning, Sept. 4, conducted by a minister from Lincoln.

Miss Kemper, youngest daughter of Mrs. Jennie Hadley Kemper and the late Ed Kemper, died at a Lincoln hospital Wednesday night, Sept. 1 after an illness of less than two days, her death being caused by a hemorrhage of the brain.

Accompanying the body to Bedford were Mrs. Jennie Kemper, Dorothy, Robert and Katherine Kemper, and Mr. and Mrs. Jack Grovenor, all of Lincoln; Gerald Kemper of Wichita, Kans., Edgar Kemper of Chicago, Mrs. Ed Simmons of Centerville, and several friends from Lincoln.

[Kemper, Richard]

Bedford Times-Republican

Thursday      September 5, 1918     p. 8

Richard Kemper.

Richard Kemper, the seven-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. E. [dgar] V. [ermillion] Kemper of St. Joseph, died at his home at half past six o’clock on Wednesday afternoon. He was apparently perfectly well the day preceding his death, although he acted drowsy Wednesday morning. He became ill that afternoon and died that evening.

His illness was pronounced ptomaine poisoning by the physician, caused by eating green apples from a tree that grows in the yard. Rev. Good of the Christian church officiated at the funeral, held on Friday. Those attending from here were, Mrs. G. N. Hadley and Miss Cora Kemper.

[Kemper, Sarah Jane Vermillion]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday     August 20, 1925     [p. 1]

MRS. W. R. KEMPER DIED HERE SATURDAY

Mrs. W. [illiam] R. Kemper of this city, past 80 years of age, died at her home last Saturday, August 15th, after a lingering illness of several months. The funeral services were held from the residence last Monday forenoon, August 17th, and burial made in the Bedford cemetery.

Following is the obituary as given us for publication by the minister in charge of the services, Rev. J. P. Lucas, an old friend of the family:

Sarah Jane Vermillion was born October 20th, 1844, in Putnam County, Indiana, of Joel and Martha [Shaw] Vermillion.

Her father was a Baptist minister. She was married Dec. 6, 1868, to William R.[ufus] Kemper, at Greencastle, Indiana, from which place she later moved, with her husband, to Monroe county, Iowa, and from thence to Taylor county, which has since been her home.

To this union were born three children: Cora Alice, Grace Caroline and Edgar Vermillion.

Early in her married life Mrs. Kemper united with the Christian church of Bedford, of which she was still a member at the time of her death.

She died August 15, 1925, at the age of eighty years, nine months and twenty-six days. She is survived by her husband and two children, Cora and Edgar, seven grandchildren, and one brother, R. K. Vermillion of Wichita, Kansas.

The funeral services took place from the residence Monday at 10 a. m., Aug. 17th, and were conducted by Rev. J. P. Lucas, a former pastor and old friend of the family. Interment was in Bedford cemetery beside the daughter Grace, who passed away in May 1890.

Among those present at the funeral from out of town was the son, E. [dgar] V. [ermillion] Kemper and wife, and a nephew, Judge C. W. Vermillion and wife of Centerville, Iowa; Dr. and Mrs. Dey Ermand, of Lenox, Iowa; and Gerald and Edgar Kemper of St. Joseph, Mo.

[Note: The same obituary was printed in the Bedford Times-Republican, August 20, 1925, page 4.]

[Kemper, William Rufus]

Bedford Times-Republican

Thursday     February 24, 1927     [p. 1]

W. R. KEMPER AMONG THE OLDEST PIONEERS OF TAYLOR COUNTY.

WAS 86 YEARS OLD

Mr. Kemper Served Sixteen Years as Rural Mail Carrier Out of Bedford Office

On Saturday morning, Feb. 19, death came very sudden and unexpected to W.[illiam] R.[ufus]  Kemper of this city.

Early that morning he did his usual morning chores and later went down town to do some shopping. The daughter, Miss Cora Kemper, states nothing at all suggestive of illness was shown during the entire time he was at home that morning. After being gone about an hour and a half, the news came to the home that Mr. Kemper had fell dead in the post office.

Those who seen him fall called a doctor at once, but death came seemingly instant. The relatives ordered the body taken to the Stithem Funeral Parlors, where it was prepared for burial, and taken to the home that evening.

The obituary follows:

William R. [ufus] Kemper was born in Putnam County, Indiana, on April 5, 1840. He moved with his parents, to Monroe County, Iowa, in the spring of 1856. On the 9th of August 1860, he enlisted at Iconium, Ia., in Co. F, 36th Iowa Infantry. During the battle at Marks Mills he was taken prisoner, on April 25th, 1864, and held until exchanged, at the mouth of Red River, Feb. 7, 1865, having been held prisoner for 9 months. He was honorably discharged from the service Aug. 24,1865, at DeValls Bluff, Arkansas. After being discharged he returned to Monroe County. On Dec. 6, 1868, he was united in marriage to Jane Vermillion at Greencastle, Ind. With his wife and one child, Cora Alice, he moved to Taylor County in 1871, where, with the exception of a few years, he had since remained. After moving to Taylor County, two other children were born to this union, Grace Caroline, who died in 1890, and Edgar Vermillion. In 1885 he united with the Christian church at Bedford, Ia., continuing faithful until death. June 4, 1904, he was employed by the government as rural mail carrier, out of Bedford, and continued in the service until Aug. 20, 1920, when he was discharged because of having reached the age limit. On Aug. 15, 1925, his wife passed to her reward; and 18 months later, on Feb. 19, 1927, just after entering the post office for his morning mail, he was stricken with apoplexy and died without a struggle. He leaves to mourn their loss, a daughter, Cora, of Bedford; and a son, E. [dward] V.[ermillion] Kemper of Centerville, Iowa.

The burial services were conducted at the residence on Monday, Feb. 21, at 2:00 p. m., by Rev. Coley. Interment was given in the Bedford cemetery.

[Kersey, Leah]

Iowa South-West

Saturday    August 26, 1876     p. 3

The infant child [Leah] of Mr. Isaac Kersey died yesterday after a lingering illness.

[King, Cecil]

Iowa South-West

Saturday      November 11, 1876     p. 3

died----Nov. 7th, 1876, of membranous croup, Cecil, daughter of M. [artin] V.[an Buren] and S. [arah] B. King, aged four years and two days.

[Larison, William Carey]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday     April 23, 1896     [p. 1]

DEATH OF W. C. LARRISON

Died, at Excelsior Springs, Missouri, Tuesday, April 14, 1890, W. [illiam] C.[arey] Larrison [Larison], born February 9, 1858, and was 38 years, 2 months and 5 days old. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. M. C. Waddell at the First Methodist church, Thursday, April 16, at 4 o'clock p. m., and interment was made at the Bedford cemetery.

The services at the church were opened with a song by the choir 'Farewell Inconstant World, Farewell,’ after which the solemn service for the dead was read by the pastor. Rev. H. Seiberell invoked the Divine blessing, after which the choir sang, "Come Unto Me." Rev. Waddell followed with a brief biographical sketch of the deceased as follows: W. [illiam] C. [arey] Larrison was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Larrison [Larison] and was born in Taylor county on the 9th of Feb., 1858. In 1882 [1881] he was married to Miss Sarah Stoner, who with two children survive him. Mr. and Mrs. Larrison [Larison] moved to Bedford from the farm about two years ago on account of the failing health of the deceased. About two months ago they went to Excelsior Springs, Mo., where Mr. Larrison [Larison] died at 12.30 o'clock on April 14th.

The deceased was a member of the M. E. church and although called from in the earth noon day of life his wife, children and relatives have the consolation of knowing that death was but the gate that opened out of earth towards "A home eternal in the heavens."

[Note:  Iowa marriage certificate gives the marriage date as November 6, 1881.]

[Leonard, Edna Irene Cobb]

Bedford Times-Press

Wednesday    May 10, 2000     p. 7

EDNA IRENE LEONARD

Edna Irene Leonard, 84, of, Clarinda, Iowa, passed away Wednesday, May 3, 2000 at Goldenrod manor, Clarinda, Iowa where she resided.

Irene was born May 23, 1915 in Taylor County, Iowa to Thomas Elmer and Edna A. [lice] Perkins Cobb. On December 12, 1934, she was united in marriage to Paul E. [dwin] Leonard, who preceded her in death June 8, 1994.

Irene was a member of the Ross Center Club, Valley Sunshine Club, Siam Church of Christ, and in recent years attended the New Market Church of Christ.

Survivors include her daughter, Martha McNees and husband George of Clarinda, Iowa, five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son, Dean Leonard, one grandson, Edward Leonard, stepmother Nellie and brother Francis Cobb.

Funeral services were held Saturday, May 6, 2000 at Walker-Merrick Funeral Home with Russ Clark and Loren Daly officiating. Burial was in Bedford Cemetery, Bedford.

[Long, Cecile Florence]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday      July 8, 1954     [p. 1]

Miss Cecile F. Long Former Teacher Dies

Miss Cecile F. [lorence] Long, 71, who passed away Sunday, July 4, 1954, was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. [iram] M. [arshall] Long [Mary Mattice], well known civic leaders of this community 40 years ago. Miss Long is survived by one brother, Forest P. [reston] Long of Minneapolis, an adopted daughter, Mrs. Margaret [Frances] Mistretta, of Washington, D. C. and Mrs. May Long, Corning, Calif., widow of Ben E. [arl] Long and her daughters Florence [Elizabeth] Burt of Seattle, Ruth Butterfield of Gerber, Calif., and Mary Rewak of San Francisco.

The following second cousins reside in Bedford: Henry Gilchrist, Alice Hale, Charles Hale, Guy Miller and Marjorie Taylor.

A staunch and faithful member of the Methodist church, Miss Long was superintendent of the Sunday school for many years. As part of her active church work, she also taught the adult class of the local Methodist church for many years.

A reader of wide and varied interests, Miss Long was a keen and exacting student of the Bible. She was graduated from the Methodist School for Religious and Social Training at Chicago and for a time did religious fieldwork following this specialized training.

Miss Long was graduated from the University of Iowa in 1905. She did graduate work in universities of Colorado and California.

Her positive influence as a public school teacher was extremely high schools of North Dakota, Montana, California and, for 28 years, in Bedford High School. Two generations of Bedford students shared the benefits of her teaching which included social activities of a Roman flavor as part of her well known Latin classes. She retired from her chosen profession in 1948.

In addition to her faithful work in the Methodist church and the public schools, she was an active member of the Eastern Start and the P. E. O. Sisterhood.

[Note: Paragraph 6 has some missing words.   This is as it appeared in the original printed obituary and not an error in transcription.]

[McIntyre, Samuel J.]

Iowa South-West

Saturday     July 6, 1878     p. 3

--Robert Smith discovered and recovered the body of Mr. Samuel McIntyre, who was drowned in the One Hundred and Two last Sunday, about half-past six o’clock Tuesday evening. The deceased was a nephew of Mr. A. [braham] L. Rogers, in whose employ he has been some time and was about 23 years old. He is a son of a widowed mother living in Ohio, to whom the sad intelligence was telegraphed. She requested the body sent to her, but it was thought impracticable. He, in company with two other parties were in a boat, which by some unknown cause was overturned. One of the occupants succeeded in reaching the shore. The other, a boy, clung to a tree until succor reached him, but the deceased was not so fortunate, having to do battle with both the strong current and the treacherous upturned boat. An active search was kept up until the body was found.

[Note:  His last name is spelled McIntire on his gravestone.]

[McIntyre, Samuel J.]

Taylor County Republican

Thursday    July 4, 1878    p. 3

—During the high water, which prevailed on last Sunday, Mr. Samuel McIntyre, a young man aged about twenty-four years, was drowned in the One-Hundred-and-Two River, just north of the Fair Grounds. The deceased together with a lad named Skinner and a young man whose name we have been unable to learn, but who is engaged in training horses at the Fair Grounds, were out on the river in a flat-bottomed boat which in some way caught in the branches of the trees and was overturned. Young Skinner caught hold of and climbed a tree where he remained until rescued. The other young man succeeded in swimming to shore. Mr. McIntyre clung to the boat and tried to climb into it. During his efforts it turned over several times and he at length went down to rise no more, in some twenty-five feet of water. A search for the body was commenced on Sunday and continued until about half past five o'clock on Tuesday evening, when it was discovered within a rod or two of the spot where it had disappeared. The deceased was the son of a widowed mother residing in Ohio, and had lived here about a year, during which time he had been in the employ of Mr. A. [braham] L. Rodgers, who was his uncle. The funeral took place yesterday afternoon at two o'clock. No inquest was held.

[Parks, Mary Catherine Bostwick]

Bedford Argus

Thursday     January 30, 1879     p. 4

PArkS. —In this city, Tuesday morning, January 28th, of heart disease, Mrs. Mary C. [atherine] Parks, aged 37 years, 2 months and 9 days.

The death of this estimable lady came so sudden and unexpected that it startled our entire community. Sunday evening she had attended church, and Tuesday morning seemed as well as usual. About eleven o'clock symptoms of the disease made its appearance. Dr. Connett was immediately summoned but all hope of her life being saved had fled. By noon she was a corpse. Mrs. Parks was born November 19th, 1841, at Macedon, Wayne County, New York. She was married February 9th, 1858, in Farmington, Michigan. One child blesses their union—Mrs. Carrie Long, who was with her mother at the time of her death. Mrs. Parks had for years been a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church and lived a consistent Christian life. The funeral occurred Thursday, being largely attended. Several of the relatives from abroad were in attendance, the father, Mr. [John] Bostwick, of Wisconsin, and two brothers with their families. One from Dubuque, Iowa, and one from Atchison, Kansas. How true is the saying: "In the midst of life we are in death."       C. W. B.

[Note: The same obituary was printed in the Iowa South-West, February 8, 1879, page 3.]