JOHN WESLEY FENDER (DECEMBER 25, 1867-SEPTEMBER 7, 1929)
JOHN WESLEY FENDER WAS BORN IN MERCER COUNTY, ILLINOIS, ON DECEMBER 25, 1867. HE DIED AT THE METHODIST HOSPITAL IN DES MOINES, IOWA, SEPTEMBER 7, 1929 AGED 61 YEARS, SEVEN MONTHS AND 13 DAYS.
AT THE AGE OF NINE YEARS HE CAME WITH HIS PARENTS, ZACARIAH AND FRANCIS FENDER, TO RINGGOLD COUNTY, WHERE HE GREW TO MANHOOD. HE WAS THE OLDEST OF A FAMILY OF FIVE CHILDREN, WHO SURVIVE HIM. THEY ARE MRS. EDNA JOHNSON AND MRS. DORA BENNETT OF LETHER, SD.; JONAS OF INDIANOLA, IOWA, AND HARRY OF TINGLEY, IOWA.
HE WAS UNITED IN MARRIAGE TO BERTHA MITCHELL SEPTEMBER 4, 1895, WHOSE DEATH OCCURRED AUGUST 9, 1904. TO THIS UNION ONE CHILD, BEULAH IRENE, WAS BORN AND WHO WITH HER UNCLE, JONAS FENDER, WAS WITH HIM CONSTANTLY DURING HIS LAST ILLNESS.
MR. FENDER’S DEATH MARKS THE PASSING OF ONE OF THE COUNTY’S MOST HIGHLY RESPECTED CITIZENS. HE WAS SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGED IN FARMING UNTIL THE YEAR OF 1919 WHEN HE MOVED TO MOUNT AYR AND WHERE HE RESIDED UNTIL HIS DEATH.
AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS FIRST WIFE, GRANDMOTHER MITHCELL HELPED TO MAKE A HOME FOR MR. FENDER AND BEULAH.
ON DECEMBER 2, 1920, HE WAS MARRIED TO MRS. EMMA LONG, WHO SURVIVES HIM.
FOLLOWING THE FLU A FEW YEARS AGO MRS. FENDER HAS BEEN IN FAILING HEALTH AND THE DEVOTION AND CARE GIVEN HER BY HIM HAS BEEN MOST REMARKABLE. HE OFTEN SAID THAT HIS GREATEST WISH WAS THAT HE MIGHT BE PERMITTED TO LIVE TO CARE FOR HER THE REMAINDER OF HER DAYS.
HE WAS A GREAT LOVER OF FLOWERS AND RAISED THEM IN ABUNDANCE DESPITE THE MANY DEMANDS ON HIS TIME. A YEAR AGO HIS GARDENS CONTAINED OVER 80 DIFFERENT VARIETIES.
HE NOT ONLY WAS VERY GENEROUS AND GAVE LARGE BOUQUETS TO FRIENDS WHO CALLED, BUT WOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER TO TAKE OR SEND THEM TO THE SHUT-INS AND BEREAVED ONES.
HE WAS A CONSISTENT AND FAITHFUL MEMBER OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND WAS INTERESTED IN ALL ITS ACTIVITIES. HE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE I.O.O.F.
NEVER A SEEKER OF PERSONAL PREFERMENT HE FOUND HIS GREATEST ENJOYMENT IN MINISTERING TO OTHERS. HE WELCOMED THE GOOD WILL OF ALL AND CHEERFULLY RETURNED THE SAME GOOD WILL.
IT IS RARE INDEED THAT THE SICKNESS OF ANYONE IS WATCHED WITH GREATER INTEREST AND SYMPATHY AND NOW THAT HE IS GONE MANY FEEL THE DEEPEST SADNESS AND A PERSONAL LOSS. BESIDES THE ABOVE MENTIONED, HE LEAVES ONE GRANDCHILD, FRANCIS SMITH, AND A HOST OF FRIENDS, WHO MOURN HIS DEATH.
FUNERAL SERVICES WHICH WERE LARGELY ATTENDED WERE HELD MONDAY AFTERNOON AT 2:30 AT THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH BEING CONDUCTED BY THE PASTOR, REV. E.S. MENOHER, AND INTERMENT WAS IN ROSE HILL CEMETERY.
