Person Page 3,718

OBITUARY - John Wayne Delehant, Jr. (father of Constance "Connie" (Delehant) Sears); Omaha World-Herald; Nebraska; Friday, January 27, 2006

DELEHANT-John Wayne, Jr. age 81 of San Francisco, CA died January 20, 2006. John was born in Beatrice, NE on March 18, 1924 to Federal Judge John Wayne Delehant Sr. and Dr. Loretta White, DDS. He attended prep school at Campion, Prairie Du Chein, WI followed by college at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. As an eighteen year old college junior, John volunteered in the US Army during WWII, attended officer's training and became General Pierce's aide in the 16th Armored Division. John married Irene Konat in February 1944. After the war he finished college and completed Creighton Law School cum laude. John was president of his law class and received the highest score on the 1948 Nebraska bar examination. John's legal career as a nationally recognized real estate and business law specialist spanned over 40 years. John served the Omaha community as a long standing president of the Swanson Center for Nutrition board and president of the Salvation Army board. He was an active fundraiser for Creighton University and served on multiple advisory groups. John was a board member at Duchesne Academy, president of the Omaha Country Club and a fellow of the Nebraska State Foundation. He was a member of American College of Trial Lawyers. John's favorite activities were extensive traveling highlighted by numerous visits to Paris, snow skiing at Lake Tahoe and Vail and sailing his boat, Lawless, on San Francisco Bay. In order to be closer to their family, John and Irene moved to San Francisco, CA in 1988. John is survived by his wife, Irene Konat and their family: Connie Sears of Healdsburg, CA; John Delehant III and his wife Susan Sample of Avila Beach, CA; Susan Guheen Desautels and her husband Marc of Woodside, CA; Patricia Lassart and her husband James of San Francisco, CA; David Delehant of Sacramento, CA; nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

A private memorial service was held at the Saint Francis Yacht Club with Father Joe Eagan, S.J. officiating.

OBITUARY - Alton Evening Telegraph; Alton, Illinois; Saturday, November 12, 1966, Page 17

Voorhees

Medora -- Donald W. Voorhees, 82, a prominent grain and stock dealer of near Medora, was pronounced dead Friday at 10:45 a.m. at Carlinville Area Hospital following an apparent heart attack at his home.

A son of the late George Voorhees, a former Chicago University professor, he was born September 8, 1884 in Cook County.

Mr. Voorhees had lived in the Medora area for 60 years and prior to that had taught school in Macoupin County.

He was married in 1905 to the former Mary Kitzmiller, and following her death he was married to the former Mrs. Helen Ames, who survives.

Also surviving are a son, George R. Voorhees, Pittsburgh, Pa., a step-daughter, Mrs. Richard Barnett, East St. Louis and a step-son, Navy Commander Fred H. Ames, New Bedford, Mass., two sisters, Mrs. John Skinner, Hamilton, and Mrs. Sherman Kell, Medora; two brothers, Lawrence E., Washington, DC., and Dr. Vandever Voorhees, Los Altos, Calif. There are 11 grandchildren.

Members of Lodge 152, AF & AM of which he was a member will officiate at memorial services Sunday at 8 p.m. at Warner Funeral Home, Medora.

Funeral services will be Monday at 1 p.m. in Warner Funeral home followed by burial in Kemper Cemetery.

Visitation at the Funeral home will be after 2 p.m. Sunday.

Note: The statement in the above obituary that Donald was born in Cook County, Illinois appears to be in error. The family did not move to Chicago until well after Donald's birth.

OBITUARY - Ella B. (Culver) Voorhees (mother of Donald W. Voorhees); Alton Evening Telegraph, Alton, Illinois; Wednesday, December 20, 1944, Page 2

Mrs. E. C. Voorhees Dies at Age 83

Long Illness Fatal to 50-year Resident of Area

Death came to Mrs. Ella Culver Voorhees early Tuesday morning at her home in Wood River after a long illness that had caused her to be disabled the greater part of the time in the last 10 years. She had sustained a fall in her home about two years ago that served to hasten her death. Since the fall, Mrs. Voorhees had been a hospital patient at intervals.

Her last visit to the hospital ended about three weeks ago when she was removed to her home from St. Anthony's Infirmery, where she had spent about 10 days. Last week her condition became such that members of her family were notified and she was visited by her children. Had she lived until Jan. 29, Mrs Voorhees would have observed her 84th birthday anniversary. She was the last of her family of five members.

She was born at Madison, Wis., Jan. 29, 1861, the daughter of Edwin Culver, a lieutenant in the army during the Civil War. In 1879 she was married to George L. Voorhees. Eight children were born to the couple, seven of whom are surviving. The children are Frank A. Voorhees, 2717 College avenue, in Alton, Dr. Vanderveer Voorhees, Mrs. Winifred Skinner and Mrs. Evangeline Kell, all of Chicago, Lawrence E. Voorhees, of Washington, D.C., and Mrs. Jesse C. Manning of Wood River. There are also 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Just 50 years ago, Mrs. Voorhees and her family came to Alton from Chicago. Her husband, a Chicago school teacher, came here to take the position of superintendent of Upper Alton public schools when that section of the city was a separate municipality from the city of Alton. At the time he took charge of the Upper Alton schools, George L. Voorhees bought Sunnyside farm just north of the city limits on Humbert road, from A. T. Benson, who had also been a Chicago business man.

Bought Farm

Benson had built the two-story house on the high elevation that overlooks the Black Creek valley. He had also built all new barns and farm buildings, making the farm home a showplace of the neighborhood. Benson gave the name of Sunnyside to the farm and it has been known by that name for over 60 years. Geo. L. Voorhees purchased the farm from Benson and moved his family into the farm home when they arrived from Chicago.

Her husband being engaged in school affairs, Mrs. Voorhees found that she was to become a farm manager, Probably the first woman farm manager in the Alton vacinity. She proved equal to the task and ran her farm of 214 acres over a long period of years. Even after her husband had completed his school work in Alton, and had returned to Chicago to spend the remainder of his life, she continued to operate the farm up to a few years ago when she sold out, retired, and went to Wood River to reside.

George L. Voorhees died in Chicago a year ago.

The body is at Streeper funeral home where friends may call after 6 o'clock this evening. Funeral services will be conducted in the Streeper chapel at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon by the Rev. O. W. Heggemeier, pastor of Trinity Lutheran church. Following the service in the funeral home the family will leave with the body for Madison, Wis., where burial will take place Saturday afternoon.

OBITUARY - Alton Evening Telegraph; Alton, Illinois; Thursday, January 14, 1960, Page 8

MEDORA -- Mrs. Charlotte Kemper, 70, a life-long resident of Medora, died at 1:50 a.m. today in Alton Memorial Hospital. She had been in failing health for the past five years but seriously ill only a few days. She entered the hospital Wednesday at 6 p.m.

A daughter of the late James and Georgia Palmer Kitzmiller, she was born August 17, 1889 in Medora.

She had served as pianist for more than 26 years at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. She was a member of Medora Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, and a past matron of the lodge.

Her husband, Victor Kemper, to whom she was married June 24, 1908, preceded her in death.

Surviving are a son, William, of Medora, who operates a barber shop in Alton; a brother, J. M. Kitzmiller of Medora and a grandson, J. William Kemper of Elmhurst, and nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband she was preceded in death by a sister, Mrs. Mary Vorhees.

The body is at Warner Funeral Home, Medora, where friends may call after noon Friday and until noon Saturday when the body will be taken to the Baptist Church for services at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Kemper Cemetery.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE - Chicago Daily Tribune; Chicago, Illinois; Tuesday, March 12, 1918, Page 1

DIAMONDS LIGHT BELLHOP AND HIS BRIDE TO CELLS

William Voorhees' unexampled prosperity in the prosaic occupation of bellhop in the Parkway hotel at 2100 Lincoln parkway concluded yesterday in the collapse of his honeymoon flat, his arrest on a charge of the theft of $2,000 worth of diamonds belonging to the wife of Dr. Claude R. Forrester, and the disillusionment of his wife, the former Miss Dorothy Gavin, one time switchboard operator in the hotel.

Miss Voorhees was locked up in the Clark street annex, sobbing her ignorance of the source of all the gems.

The Forrester gems disappeared on Jan. 14, while the owners were at breakfast. On March 6, Voorhees and Miss Gavin eloped to Crown Point, Ind. and were married. Voorhees startled the Justice of the peace by giving his wife a wedding gift of a diamond about the size of a doorknob. They went to housekeeping in a flat at 1931 North Park avenue.

Their arrest was followed by that of Victor H. Kemper of 24 North Carpenter street, in whose place some of the stolen jewelry is said to have been found.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE - Alton Evening Telegraph; Alton, Illinois; Saturday, August 22, 1964, Page 1 (photo)

Brighton Crash

William Kemper, 55, of Medora, who operated Bill's Barber Shop at 120 W. Broadway, Alton, was fatally injured in an automobile wreck at Gun Club Road north of Brighton at 5 p.m. Friday.

Harold Zirkelback, 26, of 905 Rixon St., Alton and four members of his family were injured in the same crash. Zirkelbach is a patient at Alton Memorial Hospital suffering from a left shoulder injury and a head laceration.

According to police, cars driven by Kemper and Zirkelbach collided when Zirkelbach turned off Highway 67-111 to enter Gun Club Road. Kemper, who was riding alone, was passing a string of several cars.

With Zirkelbach were his wife, Ruth, 24, and three children, Terry, 5, Tony, 3 and Tommy, 2. All of the passengers were injured but were not hospitalized.

Kemper was taken to Jersey Community Hospital, where he died shortly after his arrival.

The body is at Warner Funeral Home in Medora.

OBITUARY - Alton Evening Telegraph; Alton, Illinois; Saturday, August 22, 1964, Page 13

Kemper

Funeral services for William Kemper, 55, of Medora, proprietor of Bill's Barber Shop, on West Broadway, Alton, will be held Monday at 2 p.m. in Warner Funeral Home, Medora. Burial will be in Kemper Cemetery.

Visiting hours at the funeral home will be after 2 p.m. Sunday.

Mr. Kemper died Firday at 9:50 p.m. in Jersey Community Hospital where he had been taken after being injured in an automobile accident on Rtes. 67 and 111, north of Brighton.

A son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Victor Kemper he was born March 30, 1909, in Saint Louis.

He had lived nearly all of his life in Medora and had operated a barber shop there and at Alton, and also tuned pianos.

Mr. Kemper was a member of Medora Baptist Church and of Alton Local of the Barbers Union.

Surviving are his widow, the former Eileen Peebles, who he married June 4, 1928; a son, J. William Kemper, Danville, Ky., and a grandchild.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE - Alton Evening Telegraph; Alton, Illinois; Tuesday, October 4, 1955, Page 8

Mrs. Kitzmiller is Feted With Party

Mrs. William Kemper Jr. [Patricia Ann (Smith) Kemper], of Richmond Heights, Mo., was hostess at a shower Saturday evening at the home of Mrs. Charlotte Kemper [Charlotte Martha "Lottie" (Kitzmiller) Kemper] in Medora, honoring Mrs. Martin Kitzmiller [Mary M. (Denby) Kitzmiller].

Games were played, prizes going to Mrs. D. W. Voorhees [Mary Electa (Kitzmiller) Voorhees], Mrs. Martin Kitzmiller [Mary M. (Denby) Kitzmiller] and Mrs. Mary White. Refreshments were served.

Pink and blue was the color scheme carried out in the decorations. A minature bassinet of blue, trimmed in pink, centered the gift table. Favors were miniture cradles filled with nuts and candies.

Present were: Mrs. J. M. Kitzmiller [Josephine E. (Cullen) Kitzmiller], Mrs. Gene Schaefer [Mary L. (Kitzmiller) Schaefer], Mrs. J. M. Peebles [Nellie B. (McCrellis) Peebles], Mrs. Mary White, Mrs. D. W. Voorhees [Helen (Auld) Voorhees], Mrs. Ed Tonsor [Virginia Maxine (Denby) Tonsor], Mrs. Martin Kitzmiller [Mary M. (Denby) Kitzmiller], Mrs. William Kemper Sr. [Florence Eileen "Eileen" (Peebles)], Mrs. Charlotte Kemper [Charlotte Martha "Lottie" (Kitzmiller) Kemper] and Mrs. William Kemper Jr. [Patricia Ann (Smith) Kemper].

OBITUARY

Martha Kitzmiller November 16, 1916 - March 20, 2008

Facts

Born: November 16, 1916; Place of Birth: Kemper, IL; Death: March 20, 2008; Place of Death: Alton, IL; Occupation: Mechanical Engineer

Biography

Martha E. Kitzmiller, 91, died peacefully at 5:00 A.M. March 20, 2008 at Rodewood Care Center. Born on November 16, 1916, in Kemper, IL to James M. and Josephine C. (Cullen) Kitzmiller. Martha attended Illinois State University before moving to Chicago area where she lived and worked for more than 50 years. She retired from Whiting Corporation after a long career as a respected supervisor in the design and drafting department.

In addition to her parents, Martha was preceded in death by her brother, Martin Kitzmiller and sister in law Mary Kitzmiller and her sister Mary Schaefer and brother in law Gene Schaefer, all of Medora. Martha was also predeceased by her lifelong friend, Margaret Reed, with whom she shared a love of travel, family and Chicago sports teams. She will be remembered by her surviving nieces and nephews, Bryan (Trish) Kitzmiller of Medora, Mark (Kathy) Schaefer of Shipman, Marcus (Joan) Schaefer of Piasa, Mary Sue (Don) Smith of Centralia, Martha Jane (Jon) Montgomery of DuQuoin and Sally (Frank) Baron of Miami. In addition, Martha is survived by 14 great nieces and nephews and 4 great great nieces and nephews.

Graveside Services will be held at 1 P.M. on Monday March 24, 2008 at Kemper Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Kemper Cemetery.

Phyllis Voorhees Funeral Services Held Oct. 17

Phyllis Matthews Voorhees of the Dubina area died Oct. 16 at the Colorado-Fayette Medical Center, of natural causes.

Funeral services were held Oct. 17 at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Phillip Robberson from the First United Methodist Church in Schulenburg officiating.

Burial followed at the Weimar Masonic Cemetery.

Mrs. Voorhees was born June 8, 1916 in Jackson, Miss.

Phyllis was a librarian in Laramie, Wyo. before her marriage and worked in school and church libraries most of her married life.

She is survived by her husband of 51 years, George; three daughters, Mary Warren and husband David of La Grange, Sylvia York and husband Robert of Valencia, Calif., and Rosalyn Uzzel of Bedford; six grandchildren, Zachary and Timothy Warren, Austin and Travis York, Erin Denny and Todd Uzzell; and one sister, Dorothy Rowe of Helena, Ala.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Weimar and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Memorials may be made to the Weimar Public Library.

Weimar Mercury, October 22, 1998, page 2

Dates per SSDI, last residence Weimar.

Matthews information, in part, from BALLARDWORKINGTREEV4 genealogy prepared by Robert_Ballard28, online at ancestry.com.