Marion L. Keever died on Sunday, October 3, of typhoid fever, at his late residence near Mason, and was buried Oct. 5. The funeral services were conducted on Tuesday afternoon at the home by Rev. R. S. Hageman, assisted by Revs. Silvins and Wiant, and the esteem in which the deceased was held was manifested by the attendance of a larger number of neighbors and friends at the funeral that is usual on such occasions. Mr. Keever was a son of the late John P. Keever and was 41 years of age. Mr. Keever was one among our best citizens, by whom, as well as by his beloved wife and son, his loss will be keenly felt.
Source: Scrapbook owned by Wilbur Keever, Mason, OH, Nov. 1967
THE DEATH OF MARION L. KEEVER
Marion L. Keever, one of our prominent farmers, died at his residence, in Turtlecreek township, last Sunday afternoon at 12:45, of typhoid fever, age 41 years, 1 month and 10 days. He had been confined to his bed but a few day (sic) when the end came to him and with all the calm and peace that belongs to the sunset days of an honored and useful life.
Deceased was born in Warren county, August 23, 1856, and was a son of John P. and Ruth Lamb Keever. He was married on the 4th day of February, 1886, to Miss Rosa F. Dill, daughter of William and Ellan (sic) Dill. At the time of his death he was a director for the Bethal school.
Deceased was a man that stood high in the estimation of his fellow men and with his death there went a man who never had an enemy. As a friend he was faithful and true. His death is deeply deplored and his bereaved family, consisting of an estimable wife and one son, Wilbur, have the utmost sympathy of the community.
The funeral services took place from his late residence, Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Rev. R. S. Hageman, assisted by Revs. George H. Silvius and W. A. Wiant, officiating. The interment took place at Lebanon. At the house and also the cemetery a large gathering of friends and relatives assembled to pay their last sad respects to the one they loved. The bearers of the pall were Clinton Dill, Reuben Dill, LaFayette Dill, Wallace Casseday, Thomas Keever, and Will Keever.
Source: Scrapbook owned by Wilbur Keever, Mason, OH, Nov. 1967
Jay G. Lamb
11 January 2006
Dies at the Ripe Old Age of Eighty-seven. She Could Look Back over the Terms of All the Presidents Save Four.
Mrs. Mary A. Keever, died on Sunday evening at 10 o'clock from pneumonia. Her funeral was held in the Cumberland Presbyterian church on Tuesday at half past one o'clock.
Had the church bell tolled out her years its iron tongue would have spoken 87 times, for it was 87 years ago in October that Mary A. Lamb was born. That was in 1819 during the troublesome times of the Missouri Compromise. She lived through the terms of all the presidents, save the first four, and she has seen 28 states admitted to the Union. On February 21, 1841, she was married to Aaron Keever to which union there were five children, only one of which, Mrs. Holloway, of Columbus, Ohio, is still living. In March, 1890, Aaron Keever died but the good old lady lived on beyond her years. Hers must have been a lonely life, having buried her four children and her husband and having lived beyond the years of all her friends of other days, but never a murmur or complaint fell from her lips.
When she died, we who knew her felt that a real life philosopher had gone from our midst. She suffered many things but none knew the depth of her suffering. Uncomplainingly she bore it all and waited for her time, waiting, not with impatience, but biding her time as one who prepares with care for a long journey.
Source: Western Star, April 25, 1907
Jay G. Lamb
22 February 2006
Died
at the family residence, four and one-half miles
southwest of Lebanon,
on Friday morning, April 18, 1890
Mrs. Rhoda B.,
wife of James M. Keever,
aged 51 years, 7 months and 18 days.
Funeral from residence, Sunday, April 20, at
half-past 12 o'clock. Services at Fellowship
church at half-past 2 o'clock, conducted by
Revs. Bennett and Hageman.
Source: Funeral Memorial Card found in letter
written from Lebanon, OH Apr. 21, 1890, from Lida E. Keever.
30 Nov 2008 Comments by Jay
G. Lamb :
Rhoda was a daughter of William Bunnel and Mary
Cassaday who are buried in Fellowship
Cemetery.
Jay G. Lamb
30 Nov 2008
DEATHS
Mrs. Rhoda Keever
Wife of James M. Keever, county Commissioner, died very suddenly at her home on Friday morning, of heart disease. She awoke early in the morning feeling badly and asked her husband to get the bottle of cough medicine for her. Growing worse Mr. Keever started for the doctor but before he had gotten out of sight she expired. She was a devoted wife and mother, and highly esteemed for her many beautiful traits of character. She was 51 years, 7 months and 18 days old. The funeral was held on Sunday afternoon at Fellowship church amid a large assemblage of mourning relatives and friends. It was the largest funeral we ever saw for a lady. The services were conducted by Revs. Bennett and Hageman. Interment in church grave yard.
Source: The Western Star, Lebanon, Ohio, Thursday
April 24, 1890
Copy from the Obituary Collection at the Warren
County Genealogical Society,
406 Justice Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036-2349, (513) 695-1144 - [email protected]
Jay G. Lamb
30 Nov 2008
Florence Rosetta Dill was born Oct. 27, 1865 on a farm near Mason, where she spent her young life. Early in life she joined the Mason Methodist Church, where she was a faithful member.
On Feb. 4, 1886, she was united in marriage to Marion L. Keever. To this union one son was born. On Oct. 3rd., 1897, Mr. Keever passed away. Mrs. Keever and son returned to her girlhood home to live with her father and mother.
When she saw the need of a teacher at the little country church at Fellowship, near her home, she became Sunday School teacher and faithful attendant at church.
In 1917, she moved to Mason where again she taught Sunday School and attended faithfully until her health failed. On Jan. 1st, 1949, she asked Mrs. Ada Wright if she could come to her rest home, where she was so contented to remain. And where with loving kindness and care, she spent her remaining days. She prayed to God that He would take her home before her loved ones, saying, "I am just waiting to see what is on the other shore."
She passed on Wednesday, the 29th of January at 3:30 p.m. She leaves to mourn, her son, Wilbur, one daughter-in-law, Beulah, one granddaughter, Mrs. Juanita Surface and grandson-in-law, Mr. Homer Surface.
Source: The Western Star, 1964
Jay G. Lamb
22 February 2006
Wilbur Keever
Dies Unexpectedly
Death Brings End to Birthday Walk
Wilbur Keever on his 87th birthday a week ago last Saturday
made the annual "birthday walk" from his farm home on Mason-Morrow
Rd. to Mason just as he had for the past 80 years.
Apparently in excellent health, he could not know that this was the last time.
Mr. Keever died suddenly last Sunday at 5 p. m. His funeral services
were Wednesday.
Two days before his death, when the Western Star talked with him about
doing a feature on his longtime pilgrimages, he said:
"This time instead of my usual three-mile walk to the First Mason Bank - Walter Chesney always brings me home from there - I walked a mile further to the branch bank to see Francis Palmer whose father's birthday was the same day as mine."
He and the late George Palmer had been longtime friends and the extra mile was to tell Mr. Palmer's son that he still thought of his old friend.
Mr. Keever was eight years old when he and his mother came to live with
his maternal grandfather, the late William Dill, on the
big farm south of Mason. At 17, he went to work on the farm and brought
his wife, Beulah, there after their marriage in 1910.
He stopped farming in 1965, except for raising some livestock, keeping
the fence rows clean and tending to the spacious and beautiful grounds.
His family said Sunday that only the previous day he had mowed all the lawn with no apparent signs of exhaustion.
He was a member of many years standing in the Masonic Scottish Rites and the United Methodist Church at Mason. He and Mrs. Keever also belonged to the Warren County Historical Society.
Mr. Keever's body was taken to the Oswald Funeral Home at Lebanon where Scottish Rite services were held Tuesday at 8 p.m. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with burial in the Rose Hill cemetery, Mason.
He is survived only by Mrs. Keever and the couple's daughter, Mrs. Homer (Juanita Keever) Surface of West Chester.
Source: unidentifed newspaper [Wilbur died in 1976]
Jay G. Lamb
22 February 2006