Bessie W. Seely

Bessie Seely, Highland Pioneer Family Member, Taken by Death

HIGHLAND – Bessie W. Seely died at noon Thursday at her home on Highland Ave. The end came peacefully and quietly with no warning, her daughter, Mrs. Kenneth Gibbons, having just stepped from the room where they had been talking.

Mrs. Seely fell in the home a week ago Sunday and suffered a broken hip. She underwent surgery at Community Hospital and improved so satisfactorily that she was moved home the following Saturday. She was doing nicely and happy to be at home.

“Betty” Seely as she was affectionately known to her many friends was a member of one of the early pioneer families of Highland. She was a native of Canada, aged 76. She came to this community as a child and started to school in the first schoolhouse on the present Elementary grounds.

It was fitting that she should many years latter serve her community as a member of the Elementary School Board of Trustees and for a number of years she acted as clerk of the Board. Commemorative of her service, Bessie Seely’s name, together with trustees George W. Hellyer and William H. Roddick, is on a bronze plaque at the entrance of the original building, of the present unit, which was built in 1928.

Many years later, she had a position for 10 years in the school cafeteria where she always found great happiness working with the children.

She was employed in the Highland Post Office both before and after her marriage to Edwin H. Seely, one of the first rural mail carriers out of the local office. He died in the summer of 1939. Mrs. Seely, who is the last of her immediate family, is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Kenneth Gibbons of Highland and Mrs. John Eitel of San Diego; also three granddaughters.

Mrs. Seely was a past chief of Highland Temple Pythian Sisters and a member of the Past Chiefs Club of that organization.

She was a member of St. Johns Episcopal Church of which the Rev. Fred Hammond is rector.

Private graveside service will be held on Saturday morning at 10 in Mountain View Cemetery with the Rev. Mr. Hammond, officiating. Stephens & Bobbitt Mortuary is in charge.

Published in the San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, California) Friday, June 27, 1958

Mrs. Bessie W. Seely was laid to rest Saturday morning in Mountain View Cemetery with service of the Episcopal Church of which she was a member. The rector, the Rev. Frederick Hammond, officiated. It was a private graveside service in keeping with the wishes of Mrs. Seely and her family, a number of out of town relatives having come for the services.

Published in the San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, California) Tuesday, July 1, 1958

[Wife of grandson of SGS # 2339 – Edwin Harvey; David Randolph; David (#2339); Justus Azel (# 836); Justus William; Joseph; John; Benjamin; Nathaniel, Robert]