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Laurel Ferne Beer

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Laurel Ferne Beer

Birth
Cincinnati, Appanoose County, Iowa, USA
Death
19 Jun 1938 (aged 20)
Miles City, Custer County, Montana, USA
Burial
Cincinnati, Appanoose County, Iowa, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
The Centerville Daily Iowegian and Citizen
Tuesday, June 21, 1938

APPANOOSE GIRL IN WRECK

FERNE BEER IS MONTANA TRAIN WRECK VICTIM
----------
Only Iowan Identified As Killed In Milwaukee Train Tragedy
----------
"Merciful God, Ferne's on that train," was the exclamation made by H. I. Beer, well known farmer of Cincinnati, Iowa, when he listened to the first radio reports, in his farm home, of the ill fate of the Milwaukee's crack train, the "Olympian" that crashed through a bridge at Miles City, Montana, last Sunday morning shortly after midnight.
Today with tears streaming down his face, the father, who had been distraut since hearing the radio report, talked to an Iowegian newsman. In his hand he held a yellow slip of paper. It confirmed his worst fears which he had somehow felt all the time since the wreck. It read:
"Ferne killed in wreck at Miles City."
Only Iowan?
Thus today the Cincinnati girl is the only identified Iowan, to be listed in the tragic roll of passengers who died on the ill fated Olympian.
Ferne was 19 years of age and was well known over this county. She had attended the Cincinnati schools and graduated from Cincinnati high school two years ago. She had been a student under present County Superintendent L. E. Johnson.
Mrs. H. I. Beer, mother of Ferne, who is in South Dakota at this time, is prominent in Farm Bureau work here and is also a correspondent for the Iowegian. Under her direction Ferne had been active in 4-H club work in the county.
Sent the News
As a correspondent even in this tragic hour Mrs. Beer did not forget her instinct to report news and sent the following telegram to the Iowegian today;
"Miles City train tragedy, Appanoose girl, Ferne Beer, who was returning to Gold Butte, Montana, after visiting her mother, brother, sisters and grandparents Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Fessenden in Alberdeen, South Dakota."
After graduating from Cincinnati high school Ferne had gone to Gold Butte, or Shelby, Montana, to live with a second cousin, Lloyd Beer, who operates a sheep ranch there. She left a year ago last April.
When she learned that a family re-union was to be held in Aberdeen on the event of the golden wedding anniversary of her mother's father and mother, she decided to attend. Mrs. H. I. Beer, and son, Leslie, and daughters, Alice and Lucile left Centerville a week ago Sunday to drive to Aberdeen. Thus Mrs. Beer and three daughters were all together just before the tragedy that took the life or one of the trio.
There are four children, Ferne, at Gold Butte, Lucile, who is now Mrs. Claude Craver, who lives a short distance south of Centerville and Leslie and Alice, at home. Sympathy of a wide circle of friends and relatives goes out to the bereaved family. The body will be returned here. Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced later.

The Centerville Daily Iowegian and Citizen
Thursday, June 23, 1938

Plan Services For Fern Beer At Cincinnati

Brief funeral services for Ferne Beer, 20, Gold Butte, Mont., were held at the Weinreis-Johnson funeral home at Aberdeen, S. D., at 4:30 p. m. Thursday. The Rev. Arthur Thompson of the First Baptist church officiating.
The body arrived here Thursday at 3:28 p. m. from Miles City. Services at Aberdeen were for the benefit of Aberdeen relatives and friends. The body will be sent to Cincinnati, Ia., via Albia, where it will arrive Friday for funeral services and burial Saturday afternoon.

The Centerville Daily Iowegian and Citizen
Monday, June 27, 1938

FERN BEER RITES HELD SATURDAY AT CINCINNATI CHURCH
----------
Overflow Crowd Packs Christian Church to Pay Last Respects To Victim of Wreck
----------
Cincinnati - (Special) - A hugh crowd of relatives, friends and neighbors filled the Christian church to overflowing Saturday afternoon, to honor the memory of Miss Fern Beer, who met tragic death in the Custer Creek, Montana, railroad wreck Sunday, June 19th. Impressive funeral services were conducted by Rev. George Swan, Jr., assisted by Kenneth Hunt who read scripture 91st chapter of the book of Psalms, and led in prayer. Rev. Swan used for his text, John 19 Chapter 41st verse, using the theme of "There's a grave in every garden," he said so appropriate for the flower filled room. Bringing a comforting message to this bereaved family.
A mixed quartette composed of Corwin Johnson, of Centerville, R. O. Hunt, Mrs. Grace and Daisy Kelly sang "Have Thine Own Way Lord," "The Land Where We Never Grow Old," and "Safe in the Arms of Jesus," and by special request, a solo, "Life's Railroad to Heaven," by Clifford Hart with Mrs. Bonnie Staley, pianist.
Honorary pallbearers were six 4-H girls dressed in the blue and white uniforms and were Hazel Hart, Dawn Dove, Ruth Harris, Mrs. Mable McMorrow Huffman, Mrs. Dorothy Johnson Perkins, and Mrs. Delores Oden. Pallbearers were school friends, namely: Clifford Hart, James McMorrow, Gail Hunt, Paul Ervin, Raymond Green and James Irelan.
Had High Regard.
The esteem in which she was held in this community where she spent the greater part of her life, was well evidenced by the profusion of beautiful flowers, many were special floral offerings which were expressive of the love and sympathy of a large circle of relatives and friends from over the county and the immense throng assembled to pay their final tribute to their dear departed friend and loved schoolmate taken so young in life.
Following the services at the church the body was laid to rest in Pleasant Hill cemetery.
Among the large number of out-of-town relatives and friends present were Mr. and Mrs. Ed Beer and their son Joe Beer and wife and son, and their daughter Mrs. Felkner and husband of near Jerome, Ia.; Don Beer of Kansas City and mother Mrs. Elmer Eddy of Centerville; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Haines and son and daughter of Franklin Twp.; Mr. and Mrs. Walter Haines of Plano; Mr. and Mrs. M. H. Beer, of Centerville; Mr. and Mrs. Howard Evans, Roscoe Wales, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hoover and daughter and Miss Carrie Hoover, Mrs. Jean Sebben, Corwin Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Pearl McFarland, all of Centerville; Mrs. Almeda Walker Cole, of Moulton (her teacher); Mr. and Mrs. Joe Myres of Unionville, Mo.; Mrs. John Hudson and Ella Hudson, Mrs. E. G. Campbell and daughters, Evelyn and Alice, of Exline; Mr. and Mrs. Jess Anderson of Rock Island, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Criddle of Numa, Iowa and many others.
The Centerville Daily Iowegian and Citizen
Tuesday, June 21, 1938

APPANOOSE GIRL IN WRECK

FERNE BEER IS MONTANA TRAIN WRECK VICTIM
----------
Only Iowan Identified As Killed In Milwaukee Train Tragedy
----------
"Merciful God, Ferne's on that train," was the exclamation made by H. I. Beer, well known farmer of Cincinnati, Iowa, when he listened to the first radio reports, in his farm home, of the ill fate of the Milwaukee's crack train, the "Olympian" that crashed through a bridge at Miles City, Montana, last Sunday morning shortly after midnight.
Today with tears streaming down his face, the father, who had been distraut since hearing the radio report, talked to an Iowegian newsman. In his hand he held a yellow slip of paper. It confirmed his worst fears which he had somehow felt all the time since the wreck. It read:
"Ferne killed in wreck at Miles City."
Only Iowan?
Thus today the Cincinnati girl is the only identified Iowan, to be listed in the tragic roll of passengers who died on the ill fated Olympian.
Ferne was 19 years of age and was well known over this county. She had attended the Cincinnati schools and graduated from Cincinnati high school two years ago. She had been a student under present County Superintendent L. E. Johnson.
Mrs. H. I. Beer, mother of Ferne, who is in South Dakota at this time, is prominent in Farm Bureau work here and is also a correspondent for the Iowegian. Under her direction Ferne had been active in 4-H club work in the county.
Sent the News
As a correspondent even in this tragic hour Mrs. Beer did not forget her instinct to report news and sent the following telegram to the Iowegian today;
"Miles City train tragedy, Appanoose girl, Ferne Beer, who was returning to Gold Butte, Montana, after visiting her mother, brother, sisters and grandparents Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Fessenden in Alberdeen, South Dakota."
After graduating from Cincinnati high school Ferne had gone to Gold Butte, or Shelby, Montana, to live with a second cousin, Lloyd Beer, who operates a sheep ranch there. She left a year ago last April.
When she learned that a family re-union was to be held in Aberdeen on the event of the golden wedding anniversary of her mother's father and mother, she decided to attend. Mrs. H. I. Beer, and son, Leslie, and daughters, Alice and Lucile left Centerville a week ago Sunday to drive to Aberdeen. Thus Mrs. Beer and three daughters were all together just before the tragedy that took the life or one of the trio.
There are four children, Ferne, at Gold Butte, Lucile, who is now Mrs. Claude Craver, who lives a short distance south of Centerville and Leslie and Alice, at home. Sympathy of a wide circle of friends and relatives goes out to the bereaved family. The body will be returned here. Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced later.

The Centerville Daily Iowegian and Citizen
Thursday, June 23, 1938

Plan Services For Fern Beer At Cincinnati

Brief funeral services for Ferne Beer, 20, Gold Butte, Mont., were held at the Weinreis-Johnson funeral home at Aberdeen, S. D., at 4:30 p. m. Thursday. The Rev. Arthur Thompson of the First Baptist church officiating.
The body arrived here Thursday at 3:28 p. m. from Miles City. Services at Aberdeen were for the benefit of Aberdeen relatives and friends. The body will be sent to Cincinnati, Ia., via Albia, where it will arrive Friday for funeral services and burial Saturday afternoon.

The Centerville Daily Iowegian and Citizen
Monday, June 27, 1938

FERN BEER RITES HELD SATURDAY AT CINCINNATI CHURCH
----------
Overflow Crowd Packs Christian Church to Pay Last Respects To Victim of Wreck
----------
Cincinnati - (Special) - A hugh crowd of relatives, friends and neighbors filled the Christian church to overflowing Saturday afternoon, to honor the memory of Miss Fern Beer, who met tragic death in the Custer Creek, Montana, railroad wreck Sunday, June 19th. Impressive funeral services were conducted by Rev. George Swan, Jr., assisted by Kenneth Hunt who read scripture 91st chapter of the book of Psalms, and led in prayer. Rev. Swan used for his text, John 19 Chapter 41st verse, using the theme of "There's a grave in every garden," he said so appropriate for the flower filled room. Bringing a comforting message to this bereaved family.
A mixed quartette composed of Corwin Johnson, of Centerville, R. O. Hunt, Mrs. Grace and Daisy Kelly sang "Have Thine Own Way Lord," "The Land Where We Never Grow Old," and "Safe in the Arms of Jesus," and by special request, a solo, "Life's Railroad to Heaven," by Clifford Hart with Mrs. Bonnie Staley, pianist.
Honorary pallbearers were six 4-H girls dressed in the blue and white uniforms and were Hazel Hart, Dawn Dove, Ruth Harris, Mrs. Mable McMorrow Huffman, Mrs. Dorothy Johnson Perkins, and Mrs. Delores Oden. Pallbearers were school friends, namely: Clifford Hart, James McMorrow, Gail Hunt, Paul Ervin, Raymond Green and James Irelan.
Had High Regard.
The esteem in which she was held in this community where she spent the greater part of her life, was well evidenced by the profusion of beautiful flowers, many were special floral offerings which were expressive of the love and sympathy of a large circle of relatives and friends from over the county and the immense throng assembled to pay their final tribute to their dear departed friend and loved schoolmate taken so young in life.
Following the services at the church the body was laid to rest in Pleasant Hill cemetery.
Among the large number of out-of-town relatives and friends present were Mr. and Mrs. Ed Beer and their son Joe Beer and wife and son, and their daughter Mrs. Felkner and husband of near Jerome, Ia.; Don Beer of Kansas City and mother Mrs. Elmer Eddy of Centerville; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Haines and son and daughter of Franklin Twp.; Mr. and Mrs. Walter Haines of Plano; Mr. and Mrs. M. H. Beer, of Centerville; Mr. and Mrs. Howard Evans, Roscoe Wales, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hoover and daughter and Miss Carrie Hoover, Mrs. Jean Sebben, Corwin Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Pearl McFarland, all of Centerville; Mrs. Almeda Walker Cole, of Moulton (her teacher); Mr. and Mrs. Joe Myres of Unionville, Mo.; Mrs. John Hudson and Ella Hudson, Mrs. E. G. Campbell and daughters, Evelyn and Alice, of Exline; Mr. and Mrs. Jess Anderson of Rock Island, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Criddle of Numa, Iowa and many others.


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