Muscogee-Talbot County GaArchives Obituaries.....Benjamin Beland Blythe September 19 1955 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Carla Miles cmhistory@mchsi.com October 11, 2003, 12:54 pm The Columbus Enquirer, September 20, 1955 The Columbus Enquirer Tuesday, September 20, 1955 Page 8 Old Soldier Dies in Hotel Room in City An alert hotel clerk who made it a part of his duties to check on a semi- invalid guest, last night discovered the body of a retired Army Master Sergeant in a room at the Cardinal Hotel. A post mortem on the body showed that Benjamin B. Blythe 50, suffered a coronary artery stoppage, Coroner Ernest Howell revealed. He said there was considerable blockage in the vital artery, but the exact cause of death had not been determined. The coroner added that tissue specimens were sent to the State Crime Laboratory in Atlanta for further study. Night Clerk Carl Fouraker of the Cardinal Hotel said it was his habit to check on Sgt. Blythe each evening when he came on duty because the veteran of World War II had lost a leg since receiving a medical discharge from the Army at Camp Kilmer, N.J. in 1952. Yesterday, Mr. Fouraker checked Sgt. Blythe's room at 7:45 p.m. When he received no response to a knock, he said he opened the door and found the body on the floor in the middle of the room. According to papers found in the room, Sgt. Blythe had served 14 years and was entitled to wear the World War II Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal. He had also seen service in the Panama Canal Zone and in Greece prior to World War II. A native of Box Springs, Ga., he was the nephew of Cliff McLendon of Columbus. Several cousins live in Junction City, Ga. Sgt. Blythe had served as a clerk at the Cardinal Hotel until his left leg was amputated about a year ago. The body is at the Britton and Dobbs Funeral Home, Columbus with funeral arrangements pending the arrival of the relatives. Probe is Held in Man's Death The Columbus Ledger Tuesday, September 20, 1955 Page 20 A post mortem on the body of Benjamin B. Blythe 50, found dead in his room at the Cardinal Hotel last night gave "every indication" that the man succumbed of natural causes, Coroner E.L. Howell said today. Howell said that is appeared that the artery blockages had resulted from the effects of surgery performed some time ago. Reports on the death by the State Crime Laboratory is being awaited, Howell said. Night Clerk Carl Ouraker of the Cardinal Hotel said it was his habit to check on Blythe each evening when he came on duty because the veteran of World War II had lost a leg since receiving a medical discharge from the Army at Camp Kilmer, N.J. in 1952. Yesterday, Fouraker checked Blythe's room at 7:45 p.m. When he received no response to a knock, he said he opened the door and found the body on the floor in the middle of the room. A native of Box Springs, Ga., he was the nephew of Cliff McLendon of Columbus. Several cousins live in Junction City, Ga. The Columbus Enquirer Thursday, September 22, 1955 Page 3 Benjamin B. Blythe Funeral for Benjamin B. Blythe, 50 retired Army Master Sergeant since 1952 who died Monday at the Cardinal Hotel, will be held at 3 p.m. today at the grave in Covington Cemetery on the Macon Road. *Note - Benjamin Beland Blythe was the son of William Andrew Blythe and Eunice Inez McLendon. He is buried beside his mother at Covington Cemetery. This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb