Edwin Ruthvin SEELY

TAKEN WHILE DRIVING CAR

Death Calls E.R. Seely on Road Home from Odd Fellows Lodge

The whole countryside was shocked to learn of the sudden death of E. R. Seely as he was driving home on the night of May 28 with a son-in-law Mr. Fox, from attending the Odd Fellows Lodge at Monitor. Heart failure was the cause of death. As he expired he fell over toward Mr. Fox, his foot pressing down on the accelerator and the car jumped forward toward the ditch. Mr. Fox with great presence of mind held Mr. Seely on the seat and succeeded in getting the car on the road. He then drove to Woodburn, where Dr. Donnelly pronounced life extinct.

The funeral was held on Memorial Day, services being held at the Methodist Episcopal Church, this city, Friday at 2 p.m. The seating capacity was overtaxed and many had to stand. The Bethel choir sang and Rev. O.C. Weller preached and read the following obituary:

“Edwin R. Seely was born at Wilsonville, Oregon, on May 13, 1862, and died May 28, 1924. He was married to Julia E. Turner June 24, 1883 and they lived at Wilsonville for two and a half years, after which they moved to east of Woodburn, where they resided the rest of his life. To this union were born twelve children, seven boys and five girls, of whom one girl and one boy have passed away. He united with the Congregational Church in 1910 in which he was a faithful worker. He was a member of the Grange, the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs. Besides his wife and children he leaves 21 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and four brothers to mourn his demise.” The children are Harry Seely of Ione, Or.; Roy Seely, Klondike, Or.; Perry Seely, Gervais; Lee and Percy, Woodburn; Dennis Seely, who is in the U.S. Navy; Mrs. Ruth Aker, Dayton, Wash.; Mrs. Ethel Fox, Salem; Mrs. Edna Stenger and Miss Edythe Seely, Woodburn.

The funeral was under the auspices of the Odd Fellows, the Monitor, Needy and Woodburn lodges and the Rebekahs being well represented, the Odd Fellows escorting the casket from the Hall mortuary to the church and from the church to the grave in Belle Passi cemetery, where also there was a large assemblage of people. The Odd Fellows were pallbearers, being Albert Stone, A.E. Hughes, C.W. Conyne, R. Peterson, George Sweaney and A.N. Moshberger. The flowers were beautiful and many. At the grave the Odd Fellows held ritualistic services.

Mr. Seely was a man of strong convictions, devoted to his wife for whom much sympathy is felt in her great bereavement, and to his children. He had a cheerful disposition, displayed patriotism in his liberality during the World war, was a successful farmer, good citizen, and the large number attending the funeral from this section manifested the great respect and esteem in which he was held.

Published in The Woodburn Independent (Woodburn, Oregon), June 5, 1924

[Grandson of Bishop SGS # 3052 – Edwin Ruthvin; Lucius Alexander; Bishop (#3052); Stephen Bishop (#1323); John; John S; Obadiah; Obadiah; Obadiah]