Four Die In Seely Home Fire

A mother and her three children lost their lives early Wednesday morning when their home in the Union district burned before help could reach them.

Caught in the burning home were Mrs. Norman Seely, 25, and her three daughters, Carolyn Jean, 3, Betty Lou, 20 months, and Sharon Rae, three months. Mrs. Seely was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Simmons of Portland.

Mr. Seely had built a fire and then gone to help with the chores at the farm of his father, Ralph Seely, about 1/8 of a mile away. Fire departments were called from Monitor and Woodburn but the fire had gained too much headway before firemen could reach the farm house.

The Seely family is one of the oldest in north Marion county.

Norman Seely is a brother of Lyman Seely and Mrs. Gail Wengrenroth of Woodburn.

Published in The Woodburn Independent (Woodburn, Oregon), December 20, 1945

Seely Services Held Friday

Funeral services were held at the Ringo chapel Friday for Mrs. Norman Seely, 24, and her three daughters, Carolyn Jean, 3; Betty Lou, 20 months, and Sharon Rae, three months, who lost their lives in a fire which destroyed their farm home early Tuesday morning. Rev. George R. Cromley, pastor of the Presbyterian church, officiated at the service and final rites were at Belle Passi cemetery. Mrs. Robert Renn sang at the chapel service.

Pallbearers were Robert Koenig, Warren Sybrandt, Jim McNulty, Albert Aicher, Gilbert Ramage and Glenn Hermanson.

Mrs. Seely was born at Council, Idaho, April 14, 1921, and was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil W. Simmons of Portland. Besides her husband and parents, she is survived by three brothers, Lyle Simmons in the army in the Pacific, Roy Simmons in the army at San Francisco and Floyd Simmons of Portland.

Grandparents of the little girls are Mr. and Mrs. Ralph K. Seely of Woodburn and Mr. and Mrs. Simmons of Portland.

Published in The Woodburn Independent (Woodburn, Oregon), December 27, 1945

[Family of the great-great-grandson of SGS # 3052 – Norman Blaine; Ralph Kenneth; Stephen Bishop; Lucius Alexander; Bishop (# 3052); Stephen Bishop (# 1323); John; John S; Obadiah; Obadiah; Obadiah]