Peter Sidles Dead

Centerville Newspaper Clipping - December 1905

-------------------------------

Pioneer and a Leader in Many Enterprises 
for Good of County

  With the passing away of Peter Sidles, or uncle Peter, as he is affectionately called by his hosts of friends, Appanoose loses one of her staunchest and bravest citizens, one who, through the history of the county, has stood a model of public enterprise, religious principle and what a true citizen should be. At this day when we hear the shrill whistle of the locomotive on the Milwaukee and Burlington systems and view the towns and industries created, we do not stop to think where the credit lies and who inaugurated these necessary improvements, but on looking backward to the time when these projects were but rumors we see a public spirited frontiersman, working with all the energy he is capable of exerting for these enterprises, and that man is Peter Sidles. And again as our gaze falls upon this, the great coal fields of Iowa, and as we glance upon the numerous mines, the leading industry, we wonder who was the first man to start this work, and it is found that here again the name of Peter Sidles, stands among the earliest. 

  Mr. Sidles was a member of the Methodist church, and a man who practiced what he preached no matter what the result might be. He was as staunch a worker in his church as he was in the field of public spirit. Again when the bugle sounded, and our country called for her noble sons to take up their powder flask and gun, one of the first to respond was Peter Sidles, and it was here that the manly principles, and loyalty to his flag and God won for him the friends among the boys in blue that are now so ready to sing his praises. N. M. Scott of Mystic, another loyal soldier and close friend of Mr. Sidles, states that throughout the entire war, when temptation and hardships hardened the hearts of men, Peter Sidles remained true to his profession, his bible and his fellow man, a record that is equaled only by few. 

  He is gone now, but a record remains that lives after him, a record of a man who endured the early hardships of the settler, but lived to reap the wealth he well deserved, a record of over four score years, and every year a credit to his fellow men. The lines of Longfellow's pathetic but truthful poem are well recalled at this time:

      Lives of Great men all remind us,

        We can make our lives sublime.

      And departing leave behind us,

        Foot prints in the sands of time.

Death of Peter Sidles Removes Staunch Patriot

Centerville Newspaper Clipping - December 1905

------------------------------------

Was Public Spirited Citizen--His Demise Sudden on Friday

  A. Root, Robert Wright and Isaac Lane, representing John L. Bashore Post, G.A.R., of this city, attended at Jerome on Saturday the funeral of Peter Sidles who died suddenly last Friday [1 December 1905] morning at his home a mile north of Jerome. On the morning of his death, it is said that Mr. Sidles seemed to be feeling as usual. He ate his breakfast in the basement kitchen and retired to the sitting room above where members of the household found him a few hours later in a sinking condition in his armed chair. They immediately carried him to the bed and summoned a physician but death ensued before the doctor arrived. His wife, his stepdaughter, Miss Anna Sharp, and his son-in-law, William Laumer [Larimer], were present.

  The funeral was held Saturday afternoon at 1:00 o'clock conducted by Rev. George Blagg of the M.E. church at Mystic and interment was made in the Jerome cemetery.

  Peter Sidles, Jr., was born in Chariton [Clinton] county, Ohio, in 1823 and was therefore 82 years of age. His great grandfather, a native German, served in the War of the Revolution, and the patriotic spirit of this ancestor seems to have been inherited by the subject of this sketch who in his life served his country well in war and in peace, and was withal a kind husband and father. He was a lifelong member of the M.E. church in which he was class leader. He was a Mason of many years standing and also a voter and worker in the Republican party. At various times he was honored by election to civil offices including those of township trustee and assessor.

  Mr. Sidles was one of the survivors of Company D [B], Sixth Kansas Cavalry and had an excellent record in the War of the Rebellion. He enlisted in August 1861 in the Fifth Kansas Cavalry but was transferred to the Sixth. He was taken prisoner at Mazzard Prairie and held at Tyler, Texas, for seven months until he made his escape and succeeded in reaching the company of Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry under command of Captain Gedney, which he accompanied to Cairo, Ill., being mustered out at Leavenworth, Kansas, April 18, 1865. During his incarceration in the rebel prison he was sick for five weeks with fever, but was fortunate in having one of his comrades, James Asher, to care for him.

  Mr. Sidles married Miss Susan Crossman [Crosson] in Clinton county, Ohio, in 1824, and soon after bought 100 acres of wild land in that vicinity which he farmed for seven years, but finding the labor of clearing too severe for his health, he sold out and came to Appanoose county in 1850, settling where he resided until the time of his death. Mrs. Sidles died several years ago, being the mother of six children of whom four are now living. They are Mrs. Pendergast, Mrs. Larimer and George and John Sidles. Mr. Sidles later was married to a Mrs. Sharp who survives him.

Charles Edward Inman, 1948-2010

Daily Iowegian - 14 December 2010

--------------------------

  SEYMOUR — Charles Edward Inman, 62, of Seymour passed away at his residence on Wednesday, Dec. 8. He was born July 19, 1948 in Centerville to Byron and Norma (Bales) Inman, who preceded him in death.

  Charlie took great pride in his family and tending to the family farm. He enjoyed rodeos and riding horses, but his favorite ride was his Harley Davidson motorcycle.  He was busy Monday and Tuesday working cattle and Christmas shopping for the grandkids.
  Charlie is survived by a sister Dixie Tarrant of Tulsa, Okla.; children: Greg (Jerilyn) Inman of Moulton, Michelle (Jeremy) Dooley of Promise City, Tonya (John) Thatcher of Afton; and Freedom (Brian) Allen of Centerville; step-daughter Kim Buckallew of Centerville, nephews Kevin (Bambi) Van Dyne of Nichols  and Lonnie (Peggy) of Tulsa, Okla., 17 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, great-nieces and nephews and a host of family and friends.
  He was preceded in death by his children Mark Inman and Kim (Inman) Jellison and a great-granddaughter Makya Wood.
  Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11 at Randolph Funeral Home in Seymour with pastor Micaiah Stanley officiating. Interment will be in Southlawn Cemetery in Seymour.
  Visitation wil be at the funeral home in Seymour from 3-7 p.m. with family greeting friends from 5-7 p.m. Memorials may be made to the family.

Everett W. Wehrle, 1919-2010

The Daily Iowegian - 14 December 2010

----------------------------

  CENTERVILLE — Everett W. Wehrle, 91, a resident of the Continental at St. Joseph passed away Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010 at Mercy Medical Center in Centerville.
  He was a long time Centerville resident.
  Everett was born on Jan. 30, 1919 in Rome, Iowa to William J. and Florence Elizabeth (Dicus) Wehrle. He attended elementary school in Rome and graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1935 and Iowa Wesleyan College in 1939.

Everett was united in marriage to Maxine Miller in Kahoka, Moi. The following year they lived in Salem, Iowa where he taught and coached at the High School. In 1940 Everett attended the College of Mortuary Science in St. Louis, Mo., graduating in 1941.  The following year he took his young family to Manhattan Beach, Calif. where he worked for Douglas Aircraft.

  Everett and his family returned to Centerville in 1943 where he would join his in-laws, Frank and Roxa Miller in what would become the Miller-Wehrle Funeral Home. He and Maxine lived in and operated the funeral home from1962 until his retirement in 1984.
  Everett was a long time member of the First United Methodist Church. He was also a member of the Appanoose Country Club and served on the Centerville School Board. Everett was a part owner of Centerville National Bank, and served as a director of the bank for many years.
  Everett is survived by four children, Michele Moehring, of Claremont, Calif., Steve Wehrle (Melissa) of Centerville, Mark Wehrle (Jackie) of Lake Ozark, Mo. and Susan Sanders (Harvel) of Sedalia, Mo.; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a brother, Dale Wehrle (Agatha) of Salem, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his wife Maxine on May 7, 1993; a son, Michael; five brothers, Edward, Walter, Paul, Woodrow and Frederick; four sisters, Margaret, Helen, Elizabeth and Ora; and a son-in-law, Donald Moehring.
  Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13 at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Terra Amundson and the Rev. Harvel Sanders officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior from 12 p.m. until the time of the funeral.  Interment will be in Oakland Cemetery following the funeral.
  Memorials may be given to the First United Methodist Church which may be left at or mailed to Thomas Funeral Home, 23548 Highway 5, P.O. Box 125, Centerville, Iowa 52544.
  Condolences and video may be shared at www.thomasfh.com.

The Coin Broker in Palo Alto, California, --------------------- Appeals to Collectors Far and Wide

PaloAltoOnline - 24 September 1997

------------------------

By Therese Lee

  People have an instinct to collect, says Jim Beer, owner of The Coin Broker in Palo Alto's Town & Country Village. Beer founded his establishment more than 16 years ago to satisfy this instinct on a worldwide scale--with a personal touch.

  "Practically everyone collects something," Beer said. Even animals have this instinct, he adds, citing pack rats (as in the busy-tailed rodent, not one of your in-laws) as a prime example. "And most everyone has an interest in history." Open since 1980, The Coin  Broker offers an extensive collection of United States and foreign currency. The volume of his material sets his store apart from other coin shops, Beer said.

  He offers the largest collection of Confederate coin and currency on the West coast. He has also had the privilege of selling the finest version of the 1870 "S" silver dollar; only 12 of them were ever made by the U.S. government. His shop also features a comprehensive selection of supplies and books for all avid "numismatists" (coin collectors), regardless of age.

  "There are lots of young people starting out" in coin collecting, Beer said. "We try to take as much time as possible to help educate them. A lot of stores don't do that, but we make the time."

  Beer, a retired civil engineer, regularly tells his customers the stories behind the coins. Like how the labeling of 1883 nickels--originally only varked with the Roman numeral "V" -- was revised to include the word "cents" after racketeering had become too rampant.

  Young aficionados are the collectors that will support the coin collection industry in the future. Thus, he has been happy to see the number of coin collectors increase dramatically over the last five years, although it has meant he has had to be more aggressive in seeking out desirable coins.

  "The demand is far outstripping the supply in rare coins," he said. He conducts worldwide searches at shows and auctions. And just as he travels far and wide to find rare coins, his store is visited regularly by international collectors from countries as far away as China, Israel and Germany. Word of mouth is Beer's best publicity.

  Beer himself has been a collector since 1950. His personal collection began with early Americana coins and steadily grew from there--much like his business. "Our volume has increased every year in the retail rare coin trade," he said.

  The store's extensive display space is unusual in the business, Beer said. Many of his customers tell him "it's almost like a museum to come in her and look around."  Coins over 2,000 years old are regularly featured on the shelf, although Beer is quick to point out that age does not guarantee high value.

  His shop features coins that range in price from $1 to $1 million and caters to everyone from hobbyists to dilettantes to professional collectors.

  "Coin collecting," he said, "is something people can do throughout their lifetimes."

----------------------------------

See The Coin Broker Video on YouTube

----------------------------------

  NOTE:  Jim Beer is the son of the late Joe Beer and Reavis (Montgomery) Beer of Centerville.  He grew up on the family farm east of Jerome.  The family were active members of the Jerome Methodist Church.

Roy Lewis Van Blaricome, 1935-1995

Unidentified Newspaper Obituary of 1995

-------------------------

  Roy Van Blaricome, 59, of Iowa City, formerly of Batavia, died Monday, July 3, 1995, at his home.

  He was born July 22, 1935, in Jerome, the son of Andy and Dorothy (Thompson) Van Blaricome.

  He married Joan Miller Dec. 24, 1957, in Batavia. She survives.

  Also surviving are three sons, Royce of Oak Harbor, Wash., Randy and Robert, both of Ottumwa; three brothers, Paul of Drakesville, Max of Numa and Keith of Bettendorf; five sisters, Eva Shriver and Judy Stout of Ottumwa, Beulah Crowder of Eldon, Mo., Lucille Ross of Des Moines and JoAnn Miller of Ft. Collins, Colo.; and six grandchildren.

  He was preceded in death by four sisters, Gwen Lehman, Nadine Ross and Fern and Paulette in infancy.

  He graduated from Seymour High School in 1953. He served in the Air Force. He owned and operated Van's 66 and the Koffee Kup, both in Ottumwa, from 1974 to 1987. He later owned and operated Roy's Steakhouse in Agency from 1988 to 1993. He was a former member of the American Legion in Ottumwa and the Kilwinning Masonic Lodge in Batavia. He was a past scoutmaster in Batavia and was in the Shriner Cycle Patrol in Ottumwa.

  Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 8, at the People's Church of Batavia with the Rev. Jack Jackson officiating. Burial will be in the Batavia Cemetery. Open visitation will be after 9 a.m. today, Friday, with family visitation from 7 to 8:30 p.m. this evening at the Campbell-Kremer Funeral Home in Batavia.

  Memorials may be directed to the family.

Kathryn Frogge Owen, 1919-1997

Unidentified Newspaper Obituary of 1997

-------------------------

  Kathryn Owen of Rogers, Ark., died May 29, 1997, at Northwest Medical Center in Springdale, Ark.

  She was born Feb. 11, 1919, in Sewal, the daughter of George and Etta (Warnick) Frogge. [She married Hobart Owen.]

  Survivors include a brother, Jasper Frogge of Centerville and a sister, Dorothea Embry of Rogers, Ark.; two sons, three daughters; three grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

  She was a homemaker and attended the Methodist Church. She was a porcelain doll maker and lived in Rogers, Ark., since 1989.

  Memorial services were held at the Callison-Laugh Funeral Home with the Rev. J. Wesley Hilliard officiating. 

Helen Agnes Matelski, 1916-1994

Unidentified Newspaper Obituary of 1994

---------------------------

  Helen Agnes Matelski, 78, of Joliet, Ill., formerly of Cincinnati, died Thursday, Oct. 27, 1994, at the Glenwood Care Center in Joliet, Ill.

  She was born May 10, 1916, in Cincinnati, the daughter of Steve and Mary (Grenko) Zema.

  Survivors include three daughters, Joyce Hagerty of Glendale Heights, Ill., Lorie Noyse of Davenport and Beverly Dezorzi of Kansas City, Mo.; a brother, Steve Zemo of Centerville; two sisters, Olga Zema and Mary Ivy, both of Joliet, Ill.; 10 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

  She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers, Stanley, Frank and Louis Zemo.

  She received her education in Appanoose County. She was a homemaker.

  Funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Centerville with Fr. Joe Miller, C.P.P.S., officiating. Interment will be in the Oakland Cemetery in Centerville. There will be a scripture service at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Schmidt-Duley Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday.

Sheila Dunagan & Harry Arthur Sidles Wed 1951

Davenport Democrat & Leader - 23 July 1951

------------------------------

  The marriage of Miss Sheila Dunagan, Davenport, daughter of Mrs. Walter M. Dunagan of Valparaiso, Ind., and the late Prof. Dunagan of Ames, to Harry Arthur Sidles, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sidles, Jerome, Ia., was solemnized Saturday [21 July 1951] at 4 p.m. in the Collegiate Methodist church, Ames. The Rev. Raymond Shipman performed the single ring ceremony. Miss Harriet Moore of Des Moines gave two vocal numbers.

  The bride, who was given in marriage by her uncle, Henry Sevison of Princeton, Ky., wore a white chiffon gown, modeled with princess style bodice having a sweetheart neckline and long tapering sleeves, and a full skirt, embroidered with seed-pearls and bugle beads at one side and extending into a train. Her finger-tip length veil was held by a coronet of seed-pearls and bugle beads. She wore a pearl necklace and carried a bouquet of white gladioli and lilies of the valley, centered with gardenias.

  Mrs. William Martin Runge, Davenport, attending her sister as matron of honor, wore a floor-length gown of sprout green chiffon, styled with a shirred strapless bodice and a stole. Her head-dress was ofr fuchsia gladioli and ivy, matching her bouquet. The bride's mother was in a dove grey sheer dress with navy accessories and had a corsage of rose gladioli. The bridegroom's mother had selected a wheat-colored sheer dress with mauve gladioli corsage.

  Howard Sidles of Ames, the bridegroom's brother, was best man, and Peter Sidles, Jr. and James Sidles, his twin brothers, were ushers.

  A reception followed in the Pine room of the church with 75 attending, including out-of-town guests from Jerome, Numa, Seymour, Des Moines, Waterloo, Davenport, Bettendorf and Indianola, Ia.; Deere Grove, Ill.; and Princeton, Ky. A three-tier wedding cake, gladioli and ferns adorned the serving table.

  When the bridal couple left on a short trip, the bride wore a white and black cape dress, white lace hat and white accessories.

  The bride attended Ames schools and received her degree in home economics in 1947 from Iowa State college, where she affiliated with Delta Delta Delta sorority. She has been employed by the General Electric Co., Davenport.

  Mr. Sidles attended Seymour high school and received his B.S. degree in agricultural engineering from Iowa State college in 1947. While at Ames, he became a member of Farm House social and Tau Beta Pi fraternities. Mr. Sidles is a graduate student at the Harvard School of Business Administration, Boston, where he will resume work for his M.A. degree in September. This summer, he is employed at the John Deere Planter Works, Moline, and the couple will reside at 532 West Sixth street, Davenport. 

Opal Leota Bennett Nichols, 1914-1999

Quad City Times - 6 January 1999

--------------------------

  BUFFALO, Iowa -- Services for Opal L. Nichols, 84, of Buffalo, will be noon Friday at Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, Davenport. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, Buffalo.

  Visitation is 2-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

  Mrs. Nichols died Sunday, Jan. 3, 1999, at Genesis Medical Center-East Campus, Davenport.

  Opal had worked at Davenport Medical Center, formerly the Osteopathic Hospital, as a unit secretary and aide for more than 20 years. She retired in 1979.

  Opal Leota Bennett was born June 11, 1914, in Plano, Iowa, to George and Bessie (Elder) Bennett. She married Neal Nichols on Dec. 23, 1931, in Unionville, Mo. He preceded her in death.

  Opal read the Bible faithfully, had very strong family ethics and was a care giver to many people. Her hobbies included quilting and baking homemade bread and rolls. She enjoyed flowers and playing bingo and card games with her friends and family.

  Opal was a member of Pythian Sisters, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary 6078, Senior Citizen s group, Senior Bunco Club, the 500 Club and Friends ofr Buffalo.

  Memorials may be made to the family.

  Survivors include daughters and sons-in-law, Jane and Gene Mathey, Blue Grass, and Linda and Jim Kerch, Des Moines; a son and daughter-in-law, Ray and Rachel Nichols,  Buffalo; 13 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great-grandchildren; sisters and brother-in-law, Floy Wilson and Cleo Carson, both of Seymour, and Lorene and Boyd Stroud, Davenport; brothers and sister-in-law, Oscar Bennett, Corydon, Glen Bennett, Bernard, and Vernon and Connie Bennett, Moline.

  She was preceded in death by her husband; five children, including a son, Neal Wesley in 1985; two grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; three sisters; and a brother. May they rest in peace.

Ray, Opal, Wesley, Neal

Linda & Jannie Nichols

March 1959

Ray Humidor Nichols, 1939-2002

Quad City Times - 1 February 2002

--------------------------

  BUFFALO, Iowa -- Services for Ray H. Nichols, 62, Buffalo, will be 10 a.m. Saturday at McGinnis, Chambers & Sass Funeral Home, Bettendorf. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, Buffalo.

  Visitation is 3-7 p.m. today at the funeral home.

  Mr. Nichols died Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2002, at Genesis Medical Center-West Campus, Davenport, after a brief illness.

  He was employed the past 16 years as a journeyman machinist at General Motors Corp., Pontiac, Mich. Before that, he worked 10 years at the former International Harvester, Farmall Works, Rock Island, and 17 years at Red Jacket Pump Co., Davenport.

  He was born Feb. 18, 1939, in Centerville. He married Rachel Stricklin in 1962 in Columbia, Tenn.

  He had served in the Air Force.

  Memorials may be made to the family.

  Survivors include his wife, Rachel; daughters, Jodith Hulse, Camby, Ind., Theresia Marxen, Galesburg, Ill., and Sherrie Horn, Davenport; son, Lawrence "Lanny," Buffalo; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and sisters, Jane Mathey, Blue Grass, and Linda Kerch, Des Moines.

---------------------------------

  Ray Nichols' family lived in Jerome in the 1940s where he attended the Jerome Public School.

Zelda Workman, 1896-1986

Quad City Times - 1 March 1986

----------------------

  Zelda Workman, 89, of Davenport, formerly of Jerome, Iowa, died Feb. 19 at Good Samaritan Nursing Center, Davenport.

  Services were Feb. 21 at Miller-Wehrle Funeral Home, Centerville, Iowa. B urial is in Jerome Cemetery.

  Zelda Fry married J. W. Workman in 1914 in Jerome. He died in 1968.

  She was a member of Jerome Methodist Church and Homemakers Association.

  Survivors include sons, Forest, Rock Island, and H. Burdette "Bud," Moline; four grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a half brother, Merle Loofborrow, Jerome.

--------------------------

  Zelda Loofborrow was born in Jerome, Appanoose County, Iowa, on 29 March 1896, daughter of David N. Loofbourrow and Hattie Fry, died at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa, on 19 February 1986, and was buried in the Jerome Cemetery, Appanoose County, Iowa.  
  She married in Jerome, Appanoose County, Iowa, 23 September 1914, James Wesley Workman who was born in Jerome, Appanoose County, Iowa, on 18 January 1891, son of Edison Workman and Emma Diltz, died 17 June 1968, and was buried in the Jerome Cemetery, Appanoose County, Iowa.