Obituaries & Death Notices Chambers P. Ober died at his home on Mechanic Street in this city Sunday, December [sic. November] 29th, of neuralgia of the heart. He had been as well as usual during the morning and his death was sudden and unexpected. Deceased was an old resident of this city. He was a printer by trade, and was employed on the REPUBLIC before the war. He afterwards went to Port Byron where he started the first paper ever published there. At that place he enlisted in Co. D, 17th Illinois Cavalry as bugler, serving till the close of the war. In 1868, he returned to Geneseo and was again employed in this office for six or seven years. Later he took up a homestead in Kansas, and from there moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he worked at his trade till failing sight prevented it. He was one of the writer's earliest Geneseo acquaintances, a genial, good-hearted man, a type of the journeyman printer of the generation now fast passing away, whose hearts and hands were always open to their fellow craftsmen. About two years ago, he came back here, fixed up a cozy home and seemed well prepared to spend his declining years happily when death called him hence. He was twice married. There survive to mourn him, a wife [Margaret], son [William by first wife Mary], two step-sons and a step-daughter [Jennie]. Funeral services were held at his home on Mechanic Street at 2 p. m., Wednesday, Rev. J. M. Linn officiating, under direction of E. J. Jenkins, Post G.A.R. of which he was a member. He was laid to rest in Oakwood. Source: Geneseo Republic, December 4, 1891 Submitted by: gg-granddaughter Sheryl Roberts Fisher Died in Geneseo on Tuesday morning, December 10th 1861, Mrs. Mary E., wife of C. P. Ober, printer, aged 29 years. Mrs. Ober had resided in Geneseo but a few weeks. She was an invalid when she came here, but her acquaintances will bear testimony to her patience amid trials, and to the uniform pleasing disposition of her character. "Her deathbed scene (says a Christian neighbor who witnessed it) was a lesson worth going around the world to learn." Calm, peacefully expected and understood, her dying hours were given, not to herself, but to her husband and children [Harry, age 10; Frank, age 8; William, age 6; and, Edwin, age 4] who were well improved by her counsels and prayers for their behalf. Mrs. OBER was the wife of one of the compositors in the advocate office, and his associates all join us in extending to him our warmest sympathy in this the time of his deep bereavement Source: Geneseo Advocate Submitted by: gg-granddaughter Sheryl Roberts Fisher [C.P. is Chambers P. Ober] Mrs. Grace Ellen Otis, 77, of Aprt. 125 Fairview died at Kewanee Public Hospital Saturday evening. She was born in Stark County Aug. 18, 1889, the daughter of Daniel and Ruth Smith Addis. She was married to Frank Otis, Sept. 4, 1907 in Kewanee. She was a member of First Methodist Church and Senior Citizens. Surviving are two sons, Dale of Lynwood, Calif., Ralph of Palm Beach, Fla.; three daughters, Mrs. Donna L. Curry of Kewanee, Mrs. Roy (Mary Ann) Smith of Los Angeles, Calif, and Mrs. Gracia Herrick of Hawthorne, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband in 1949, two brothers and six sisters. Funeral services will be held at the Creamer Funeral Home at 3 p.m. Tuesday. Dr. E. N. Wise, pastor of First Methodist Church will officiate. Burial will be in Evergreen Memory Gardens. Friends may call at the funeral home Monday evening. Source: Kewanee Star Courier, 15 May 1967 Contributed by Susie Martin-Rott KEWANEE -- Robert Otis, 62, of Pahrump, Nev., formerly of Kewanee, died at 12:28 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, 1997, at University Medical Center in Las Vegas. He was born Aug. 28, 1935, in Kewanee to Milton W. and Josephine Sadlowski Otis. Surviving is one sister, Barbara Seifert of Fort Wayne, Ind. He was a Navy veteran of the Korean War. He was a construction worker. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Rux Funeral Home. The Rev. Duane Jack will officiate. There will be no visitation. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Memorials may be made to any charity. Source: Peoria Journal Star, September 21, 1997, pC15 Contributed by Susie Martin-Rott KEWANEE -- Robert C. Otley, 79, of rural Kewanee died at 12:32 p.m. Friday, July 25, 1997, in the emergency room at Kewanee Hospital. Born Jan. 5, 1918, in Kewanee to John R. and Margaret E. Linder Otley, he married Ruby M. Kemerling on Jan. 11, 1937. She died July 22, 1990. Two sons and one sister also preceded him in death. Surviving are two sons, Dick Sr. of Kewanee and Thomas Sr. of Walnut; one daughter, Mrs. James (Janet) Howard of Kewanee; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. He farmed in Wethersfield Township for many years. He later owned and operated Bob Otley's Pump Sales and Service. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Kewanee. He served as chief of the Kewanee Rural Fire Department, retiring in 1988. He was past president of the Tri-County Volunteer Fire Department Association. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee, where visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday. Burial will be in Evergreen Memory Gardens. Memorials may be made to American Diabetes Association or to the American Cancer Society. Source: Peoria Journal Star, July 27, 1997, pC14 Contributed by Susie Martin-Rott |