Prescott News
Machinist Mate First Class Edgar Coons left Sunday for Norfolk, Va., after a short furlough spent here. He has been for some time past at Dearborn, Michigan. While here visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Coons, his brother, George, came from Council Bluff and visited with him a short time and the latter part of the week Edgar and his parents went to Des Moines where they visited with his sisters, Mrs. Clarence Williams and Mrs. Geo. White and their families.
Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, July 29, 1943, Page 10
Prescott News
Machinist First Class Edgar Coons came home to spend a ten day furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Coons. Edgar came from Jacksonville, Florida. He expects to be assigned to a ship when he returns. Other over-Sunday guests at the Coons home were Mr. and Mrs. Jess Coons and family who recently moved to Zion where Mr. and Mrs. Coons will be teachers in the schools.
Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, August 19, 1943, Page 12
News About Adams County Men and Women
In the Service
U.S.S.Y.M.S. 349
Nov. 13, 1943
Dear Mr. Gauthier [Editor of the Adams County Free Press]:
In regard to my Free Press, I wish to inform you of my correct address. The paper has been reaching me about a week late due to the fact that it had been transferred at Jacksonville, Fla.
I’ve been on board for about two months now and during this time I have seen a number of interesting things and expect to see many more in the very near future.
Certainly would enjoy being back playing football and basketball again, but guess I will just read about the games. Hope you don’t forget Prescott in the basketball games.
Sincerely,
Edgar LeRoy Coons, M.M. 2-C
Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, November 25, 1943, Page 4
Prescott News
Memorial Services for Edgar LeRoy Coons, First Class Mechanic on a U. S. Government Bomb Sweeper, will be held at the Prescott Methodist Church Sunday, October 15 at 1:30 P. M. His is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Aldo Francis Coons of Prescott. The American Legion will have charge of the Military arrangements and the Rev. Harvey R. Butler will have charge of the Church Service. Mr. and Mrs. Coons gave another son in the first World War, Earl Edward Coons, who died Dec. 1, 1917, at Liverpool, England.
Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, October 12, 1944, Page 4
Obituaries
Edgar Leroy Coons
Edgar LeRoy Coons, youngest son of Aldo Francis and Bertha Ellen Coons, was born in Prescott, Iowa, July 17, 1922. He departed this life June 1, 1944, in a Jaundice epidemic. He had reached the age of 21 years, 10 months and 14 days. He graduated from the Prescott High School in the class of 1941.
He was sent by the Government to the Milford Y. M. C. A. for preliminary training in Diesel Engineering. Then to the Rock Island Arsenal for about one year and September 21, 1942, he enlisted in Des Moines, Iowa, and was sent to Great Lakes Training school and from there to the Ford Plant in Detroit, Michigan, where he became an apprentice Petty Office July 1943. He became a Machinist Mate First Class. He was assigned to a Mine Sweeper. Information as to where he died and where is buried has not been released. Notification of his death said “he died during a Jaundice Epidemic,” that he is buried in Allied territory.
His wife, Mrs. Elnora Coons, lives at Cincinnati, Ohio; they had no children.
He leaves his father and mother, Aldo Francis and Bertha Ellen Coons of Prescott, Iowa, four brothers, George of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Jess of Prescott, Everett of Malver, Iowa, Ralph of California; two sisters, Mrs. Iola Williams and Mrs. Cecil White Johnson of Des Moines, Iowa.
Mr. and Mrs. Coons also gave another son, Earl Edward Coons, who died on the way to France in the first World War. He died on ship just before landing at Liverpool, England, Dec. 1, 1918, 26 ½ years before Edgar died in the second World War. Earl is buried in the National Cemetery at Keokuk, Ia.
Edgar was a member of the Prescott Methodist Sunday school.
Prescott News
Memorial services were held at the Methodist Church Sunday afternoon for Edgar LeRoy Coons, First Class Mechanic on a Bomb Carrier, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Coons, who passed away June 1st, and was buried some where in Allied territory. The Corning and Prescott American Legion had charge of the military service, and Rev. Harvey Butler was the speaker. Capt. Ed Fackler, who is home on furlough, gave a talk paying tribute to Edgar and his brother Earl, who also died in the service of his country. A group of girls from High School sang. Those coming from a distance to attend the service were Mrs. Geo. White and Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Williams of Johnson (sic), Ia., Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Coons of Council Bluffs, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Coons and son of Malvern, Miss Helen Coons of Des Moines, Winnie and Lottie Goodwill and Mrs. Cora Johnson of Creston and Bill Luke of Massena.
West Union News
A number of people from this vicinity attended the memorial services in Prescott, Sunday afternoon for Edgar Coons.
Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, October 19, 1944, Page 9
Reports Edgar Coons Killed In Action
Two more names are added to the “In Memoriam” department of the Adams County Honor Roll of Service Men this week, when word came of the death of Lawrence Ivan Weckman and Edgar Coons. Weckman was killed in action and Coons died from disease.
[NOTE: Portions of this article regarding Ivan Weckman has been omitted but appears on his individual webpage within this site.]
Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Coons of Prescott received word of the death of their son, Edgar, Monday. The lad died from an attack of yellow jaundice and is buried on Allied held territory. Mr. and Mrs. Coons lost son in World War I. He was Earl Coons, who died on shipboard while going across.
Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, June 15, 1948, Page 1
Return Soldier Dead From Battle Fields
The casket remains of Motor Machinist’s Mate First Class Edgar L. Coons, a World War II deceased member of the Navy from Prescott being returned from overseas for final burial will be sent to the Keokuk (Iowa) National Cemetery within the next month accompanied by a uniformed Navy escort from the Chicago Distribution Center of the American Graves Registration Division.
The body arrived New York Saturday, June 26, aboard the transport Lawrence Victory.
The body of Coons was interred in the Brookwood temporary cemetery in the British Isles, but has been returned to this country for final interment at the request of his next of kin, Aldo F. Coons, Prescott, Iowa.
Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, July 01, 1948, Page 1
Prescott News
Edgar Coons, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Coons of Prescott, will be buried July 23, 1948 at the Keokuk National Cemetery. He was in the Armed Service working in the British Isles when he died of yellow jaundice, June 1, 1944, and would have been 22 years old in a few weeks. His brother, Earl Coons, who died Dec. 11, 1917, in World War I, is also buried in this cemetery. Mr. Coons and several other members of the family are planning to attend the funeral, but his mother, Mrs. A. F. Coons, does not expect to attend because of poor health.
Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, July 15, 1948, Page 8
Obituaries
EDGAR COONS
M.M.M. 1 Edgar Coons, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Coons, was born at Prescott, Iowa, July 17, 1922, and passed away in a hospital in England of yellow jaundice June 1, 1944. He attended school in Prescott, graduating in 1939, and attended the Methodist church. For about a year he worked in the lumber yard here. Then he went to machinist’s school in northern Iowa for three months. Following this he worked in the Rock Island Arsenal about eight months. September 21, 1942 he entered the Great Lakes Training School. After his training there he went to one of the eastern ports where he boarded ship. In a letter written by him May 26, 1944, he stated that he was well. It is believed he had not been ashore after going aboard the ship, until he was removed to the hospital in England before his death.
Funeral services were held at 2:00 p. m. Friday, July 23, 1948 at the grave in Keokuk National Cemetery with DeJoun of Keokuk in charge of the funeral. He was given a full military funeral and is buried in the beautiful new section of the cemetery, a short distance from his brother, who was buried there so many years ago, at the time of World War I. Chief Cunningham of Chicago was the official escort of the body to its final resting place.
All of Edgar’s brothers and sisters were able to be present except Ralph, of Long Beach, California. Present were his father, A. F. Coons, George Coons of Council Bluffs, Everett Coons and family of Malvern, Mr. and Mrs. George White and sons of Pensacola, Florida, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Williams and family of Johnston, Iowa, and Jess Coons of Prescott. His mother was not able to make the journey to Keokuk.
Source: Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa, Thursday, July 29, 1948, Page 8
