Paul Leonard Ervin, 1917-2001

Moravia Union - 18 July 2001

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

  Paul Ervin, age 83, of Centerville died Saturday, July 14, 2001 at Golden Age Care Center, Centerville.

  Paul was born December 16, 1917 at Cincinnati, Iowa to Clarence and Grace Euwer Ervin. He was raised in Cincinnati and graduated from Cincinnati High School. He was married to Dorothy Stagner on December 24, 1938 at Bloomfield, Iowa and she survives him. Paul farmed in
  Appanoose County. He owned and operated the Appanoose County Ambulance Service for many years and later was a custodian at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital (Mercy Medical Center). He was a member of the Drake Ave. Christian Church.
  He is survived by: his wife, Dorothy of Centerville; four sons, Donald and his wife Karen Ervin of Otho, Iowa, Max and his wife Mary Ervin of Centerville, Jim and his wife Cheryl Ervin of Huxley, Iowa and Bob Ervin of Indianola, Iowa; 11 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
  He was preceded in death by: his parents and two brothers Rodney and Tommy.
  Services were held on Tuesday, July 17, 2001 at Drake Ave. Christian Church with Pastor Carl Heien and Fr. Joe Bathke C.PP.S. officiating. Burial was in the Jerome Cemetery in Jerome, Iowa. A memorial has been established and may be left at the Thomas Lange Funeral Home.

Gravestone for Paul & Dorothy Ervin

in the Jerome Cemetery
----------------------

  The editor appreciates the contribution of the above updated gravestone picture by Jimmy Ervin of Centerville, Iowa.

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

Ad-Express/Iowegian - 18 July 2001

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

  Paul Ervin, 83, of Centerville died Saturday, July 14, 2001, at Golden Age Care Center.

  He was born Dec. 16, 1917, in Cincinnati, the son of Clarence and Grace (Euwer) Ervin.

  He married Dorothy Stagner Dec. 24, 1938, in Bloomfield. She survives.

  Also surviving are four sons, Donald Ervin and his wife, Karen, of Otho, Max Ervin and his wife, Mary, of Centerville, Jim Ervin and his wife, Cheryl, of Huxley and Bob Ervin of Indianola; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

  He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Rodney and Tommy.

  He was raised in Cincinnati, graduating from Cincinnati High School. He farmed in Appanoose County and owned and operated the Appanoose County Ambulance Service for many years. He later was custodian at St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital (Mercy Medical Center). He was a member of the Drake Avenue Christian Church.

  Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Drake Avenue Christian Church with Pastor Carl Heien and Fr. Joe Bathke, C.PP.S., officiating.

  Friends may call all day today, Monday, at the Thomas Lange Funeral Home, Centerville, with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m.  Burial will be in Jerome Cemetery in Jerome.

  A memorial has been established to the Seymour First Responders and contributions may be left at the funeral home.

Clarence Elmer Ervin, 1887-1977, married 1908, Grace Melissa Euwer, 1891-1973

  Clarence Elmer Ervin was born in Cincinnati, Appanoose County, IA, on 17 May 1887, son of Francis Lewis Ervin and Julia Rosella Leonard, died in Centerville, Appanoose County, IA, 15 June 1977, and was buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Cincinnati, Appanoose County, IA.  Clarence married in Cincinnati, Appanoose County, IA, 28 October 1908, Grace Melissa Euwer who was born in Washington, Washington County, IA, 26 March 1891, daughter of Archibald N. Euwer and Nancy Jane Rowan, died in Centerville, Appanoose County, IA, 4 September 1973, and was buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Cincinnati, Appanoose County, IA.

Clarence Elmer Ervin & Grace Melissa Euwer

50th Wedding Anniversary Picture

  Three sons were born in this marriage:

  (1) Rodney Leonard Ervin was born in Cincinnati, Appanoose County, IA, 7 July 1909, and died in Iowa City, Wright County, IA, 20 November 1948.  Rodney married in Cincinnati, Appanoose County, IA, 3 August 1931, Mary Katherine Smith who was born in Cincinnati, Appanoose County, IA, 1 August 1910, daughter of George Milton Smith and Luella Sarah James, and died in Boone County, IA, 26 July 2000.

  (2) Paul Leonard Ervin was born in Cincinnati, Appanoose County, IA, 16 December 1917, died in Centerville, Appanoose County, IA, 14 July 2001, and was buried in the Jerome Cemetery, Lincoln Township, Appanoose County, IA. Paul married in Centerville, Appanoose County, IA, 24 December 1938, Dorothy Nadine Stagner who was born in Centerville, Appanoose County, IA, 12 July 1921, daughter of Clarence E. Stagner and Ila Ersel Patterson, died in Centerville, Appanoose County, IA, 9 August 2011, and was buried in the Jerome Cemetery.  Four sons were born in this union.

  (3) Thomas Elmer Ervin was born in Cincinnati, Appanoose County, IA, 11 July 1922, and died in Glenwood, Mills County, IA, in 1932. 

Clarence Elmer Ervin & Grace Melissa Euwer

Gravestone in Pleasant Hill Cemetery,

Appanoose County, Iowa

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

  The editor appreciates the contribution of the two photographs above to The Jerome Journal by Jimmy Ervin of Centerville, Iowa. 

  The information in this article is from two family trees on Ancestry.com which contain more extensive information and pictures on the Ervin family:

  (1) Ervin-Euwer-Smith-Oviatt-Gill-Watkins-Rowan posted and owned by pamoviatt. 

  (2) MacConnell Family Tree posted and owned by Marcia Evberse.

  There are several family trees on Ancestry.com which contain information, documents and pictures related to the Ervin family.  The editor is not sure which family tree was the original source for the various documents and pictures.  

Dorothy Nadine Stagner Ervin, 1921-2011

Lange Funeral Homes

Centerville, Iowa

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

  Dorothy Ervin, age 90 of Centerville, Iowa died Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at Mercy Medical Center, Centerville, Iowa.

  Dorothy was born July 12, 1921 in Centerville, Iowa, the daughter of Clarence and Ila (Patterson) Stagner. She grew up in Centerville and attended local schools. Dorothy married Paul Ervin on December 24, 1938 in Bloomfield, Iowa. He preceded her in death in July of 2001.

  She was a post mistress with the Jerome Post Office from 1952-1955. Following her tenure with the post office, Dorothy continued to help support her family’s farm as a farm wife. In 1971, Dorothy and Paul sold the family farm and at that time, she made the medical field her main source of income as a nurse’s aide.

  Dorothy worked as a nurse’s aide for the Golden Age Care Center in Centerville for a short period before beginning her employment with Mercy Medical Center. She was employed with Mercy for thirteen years.

  Following her retirement, Dorothy ran a flea market, along with supporting the family ambulance service.

  She was a member of the Drake Avenue Christian Church in Centerville for many years. Furthermore, Dorothy ran the prayer chain for the church for ten years.

  She is survived by her four children, Don (Karen) Ervin of Fort Dodge, Iowa, Max (Mary) Ervin of Centerville, Iowa, Bob (Connie) Ervin of Indianola, Iowa, and Jim (Cheryl) Ervin of Huxley, Iowa; thirteen grandchildren; twelve great grandchildren; and two half brothers, Delbert Davis of Des Moines, Iowa and Don Davis of Arkansas.

  Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Paul Ervin; a brother Keith Stagner; and a half sister Evelyn McKelvogue.

  Graveside funeral services will be held 11 AM, Friday, August 12, 2011 at the Jerome Cemetery in Jerome with Pastor Carl Heien officiating. A visitation will be held on Thursday at Lange Funeral Home in Centerville from 12PM-8 PM, with the family present from 6-8 PM. Memorials have been established to either the Mercy Medical Center Foundation or the Centerville American Legion- Post # 214 and may be left at Lange Funeral Home, 1900 S. 18th St., Centerville, Iowa, 52544. Condolences may be shared online at www.langefh.com.

Dorothy and Paul Ervin's Gravestone

in the Jerome Cemetery
----------------------

  The editor appreciates the contribution of the above updated gravestone picture by Jimmy Ervin of Centerville, Iowa.

Don Ervin - HS Bowling Team Coach

Seymour Herald - 25 February 2010

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

  Don Ervin, coach of the Fort Dodge High School Girls and Boys Bowling Teams, is pictured center back.  Ervin grew up on a farm just west of Jerome, attended the Jerome School and graduated from Seymour Community High School.  His teams qualified for the 2010 Iowa State Bowling Tournament.

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

Letter to the Editor

  I sent one of these pictures to Mr. Stamps thanking him for all that he did in my life to make this possible. My brother, Jim, and I have talked at length on our trip to Seymour, how very blessed we were to have grown up on a farm east of Seymour and attended Seymour school. I know and I'm sure I speak for Jim that had not it been for people like Mr. Stamps, Mr. Berge and Miss Banning life would have been different.

  Jim made the comment, had he been in a school like Valley or Roosevelt, he would have been another face in the crowd instead of playing varsity basketball.

Your friend, Don Ervin

Memories of Jerome, Iowa - Part II - Postmasters

  Horace W. Lyon was appointed the first postmaster in 1856.  Henry Wilson followed him in 1857 and continued to handle the mail until November of 1878.  During the Civil War, the post office was in his home, now where Carl Hamm lives.  Older people have told that Wilson kept the mail in a bureau drawer; that patrons came early in the morning, read aloud whatever they received so that all could hear the news, and frequently stayed for dinner in the Wilson home.  The mail came by coach from Alexandria on the Mississippi, the route following approximately present Highway No. 2.  

  On Nov. 7 1878 James Hagan became postmaster, serving until the office was discontinued in 1881.  At this time the mail came into Numa and was brought by horseback to Jerome.  From 1881 to 1888 people went to Plano brought in by the K and W railroad.  Osta Kinney Norris recalls walking to Plano for mail, crossing Walnut creek on a log.

  The Jerome post office was reestablished in March of 1888, with Peter Wilson, son of Henry Wilson, as postmaster.  He built a small building northeast of his father's home and this was used as a post office.  James Hagan again was appointed postmaster on Dec. 5, 1888, and the office was enlarged and used as both post office and grocery store.  Jess Swan was postmaster in 1890, serving until James Hagan was appointed for the third time in 1891.

James Hagan who served three times as Jerome Postmaster

  Hamilton Howry took the office in January of 1897, serving only until August 21 when John F. Stephenson was appointed and he in turn served until William S. Fox took over in 1902.

  On February 11, 1903, Benjamin Gable was appointed and served until the appointment of the first woman postmaster, Anna Gorman, who took office on March 10, 1906.  She was followed by Kathryn Hawkins in 1912.

Postmaster Kathryn Hawkins in from of the Post Office

  In 1914 John White took the office, serving until LaVera McKern was appointed acting postmaster in 1918.  Edmond H. Allan received his appointment in May of 1929, succeeded by Robert Hardy who served from 1941 to 1945.  Julia Bunetta served from July 1, 1945 to 1946.  Walter Warnick served four months as acting postmaster in 1948, after which Mrs. W. E. Hawkins kept the office in the Hawkins store from Nov. 1948 to Aug. 1951.

Postmaster Lora Hawkins in front of the Hawkins Store

  Mrs. Paul Ervin took the office next, moving it to her home.  On August 15, 1953, the office was discontinued and Jerome was placed on a Centerville route.
 [From Memories of Jerome, Iowa, 1989 published for the 1989 Jerome Reunion.]