Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1918 — VISITS OF THE DEATH ANGEL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

VISITS OF THE DEATH ANGEL

Several More Homes Saddened By Untimely Deaths. Rensselaer and comnflinity was greatly shocked Friday evening to learn of the death of R. L. Buesell, the McCoysburg rural mail carrier, whose critical condition from burns received Friday morning was published in the last issue of The Democrat. His death occurred- at 3:30 Friday afternoon, 'before the entire issue of The Democrat was off the press. Saturday morning came the announcement that Willard Zea had died at 5:30 a. m., at the county hospital from influenza, and this had scarcely become generally known before Mrs. James West received a telegram informing her of the death from influenza of her only remaining son, Wayne, at Denver, Colorado, where he had been for some time and was soon to enter a military training camp. Her eldest son died only last spring in Montana, from pneumonia, and she was completely prostrated by this last bldw. Wayne was 21 years of age and up to perhaps a year ago had resided in Rensselaer with his mother and for quite a long time was employed as a clerk in the Nowels restaurant. His father, who was in Montana, went to* Denver and will bring the body here for burial.

In the death of Willard Zea a bright and r.ntbitious young life was snuffed out almost in the twinkling of an’eye. Willard was born and raised in Rensselaer and for the past three or four years had been employed nights and mornings and Saturdays in* The Democrat office, where he had most thoroughly endeared himself to every one connected with the paper by his kind and generous disposition, his obliging, gentlemanly behavior and his ambition to secure an education and make something of himself. In fact, he was one boy in a thousand, and his death was almost as much of a blow to the editor and family and the entire Democrat' force as it was to his own parents. While but 17 years, of age last

September, he was quick to learn and would have graduated from the Rensselaer high school with the 1919 class next spring. He was very popular in the school, and pupils and faculty alike were greatly shocked when they learned of his death after one short week's illness. When his parents recently moved to Hammond Willard came to live with The Democrat editor to finish up his schooling. The week before his death he was called to I Hammond by the illness from in- ■ fluenza and pneumonia of his uncle, [Herbert Zea, who died in a hospital • there a day or two after Willard’s going to Hammond. He returned to Rensselaer Thursday with the funeral party bringing his uncle’s remains for burial and seemed in his usual good health and spirits until* Saturday morning, when he I came down stairs earlier than usual and said, as an -excuse for getting up so early, that he “had I been taken with a severe chill along about 2 o’clock in the morning and I chilled from that time ' until I came down stairs. I nev-er had a chill before in my life.” Although he said that he felt much better then, a doctor was summoned as soon as one could be secured and, while the latter said that he found nothing alarming in his condition he thought he better take the lad to the hospital for a few days and see what came of it. Accordingly he was taken there at once and it was not long until a genuine case of influenza developed soon passing on to the pneumonia stage, and early Saturday morning he breathed his last.

The burial was made in Weston cemetery Monday afternoon and was largely attended by friends and schoolmates. The pallbearers and the young lady flower bearers were high school class-mates of Willard’s. The services at the grave were conducted by Revs. Hill and Strecker, each of whom paid a glowing tribute to the life so full of promise that had been taken. The following obituary was read: Elmer Willard Zea, son of Chester and .Mattie Zea, was born September 24, 1901, in Rensselaer, Indiana. He received his schooling in the vicinity of Rensselaer and lived in Hammond with his parents a short time, who now reside there. v Willard returned to Rensselaer in September to finish his

schooling and graduate with his class of 1919 He joined the Christian church at Rensselaer on April 9, 1916. •He was a member of the Liberty Guards of ® Rensselaer, and a member of The Knights and Ladies at Security of Hammond, Indiana. Her died November 2, 1918, leaving to mourn his loss his father and -mother, Chester and Mattie Zen two brothers, Devere and Arthur, and sister, Helen, also nnn>or u us relatives and many friends. He will be greatly missed "■ ’i:« home and by his many school fffwids. The pallbearers were Leland and Paul Collins, Ralph Dunlap, Clyde Tilton, Lester Gorham and' “Bud” Eldridge.

Place your “ Want Ad” in The Democrat and get results.

WILLARD ZEA