Obituaries: Robert J. Seery, 1930, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From: January 23, 1930 Winn Parish Enterprise

Judge Oglesby Pays Beautiful Tribute To Robert J. Seery

Mr. Seery Died After Several Years Illness With Heart Disease

Funeral services for Robert J. Seery, age 58 years, who died in his room here
last Friday, were held in the Courthouse Saturday afternoon.  The Revs.
Cullen, Wier, and Stokes, local pastors, had charge of the services.  Judge R.
W. Oglesby read the following of Mr. Seery's life, which explains the esteem
in which he was held by Winnfield people:

"In the passing of Robert J. Seery, Winnfield has suffered a great loss.  Not
in a thousand years, nay, perhaps never again, will she claim such a splendid
citizen.

"Some twenty odd years ago, he and his brother, both telegraph operators, came
to Packton to work for the Louisiana and Arkansas Railway Company.  One worked
in the day time, the other at night.  They were constant companions, and
railroad men say they loved each other with a tender affection scarcely, if
ever, seen between two brothers.  Soon his brother sickened and died and was
buried in a graveyard near Packton.  Our friend, soon after the passing of his
brother, transferred to Winnfield where he has been ever since.

"His parents came from Ireland and settled in Algiers, just across the river
from New Orleans.  There the boys were born and reared and there the parents
lived and died.

"Their mother was a finished musician and from her the boys inherited their
love for music.  She taught them to play the piano and violin, in fact every
kind of instrument, either stringed or wind.

"When Mr. Seery first came to Winnfield, he lived in the home of his friend,
B. F. Martin, who was then the agent of the Railway Company.  The Martins
had three beautiful little girls whom Mr. Seery taught music.  From this
beginning, other boys and girls began to take lessons from him, after his work
hours and in the evenings.  It was not long before he had a band trained and
from then he has trained band after band.  Hundreds of musicians have gone out
from his excellent training to all parts of the country, some of whom have
attained eminence in the musical world.

"The strangest and most beautiful part of it all, especially in this day of
greed and avarice, he never received one penny for his great services.  He
absolutely refused to be compensated, except for the joy it afforded him in
helping others.  He purchased all the music and often purchased with his own
money instruments for boys who were not able to do so.

"Never in my life have I ever seen a more modest, refined and elegant
gentleman.  He was quiet, reserved, methodical and dignified.  You could
safely set your watch by his movements.  At a certain time in the afternoon
you would see him going to Swanson's for a cup of coffee.  No language, except
the purest, ever escaped his lips.  His influence upon the young life of
Winnfield was beautiful and tremendously uplifting.  No matter how hot it was,
you never saw him on the streets, or before his class in his shirt sleeves. 
He never lost his temper.  No matter how noisy the boys became during the
practice hour, he proceeded in the even tenor of his way, and at the raise of
his baton, the inharmonious noises caused by each boy playing a different tune
at the same time, would be changed into harmonious strains of some great
master piece which would float out in the stillness of the night air.  Some of
them I never hear over the radio, or elsewhere, without seeing Mr. Seery
standing before his faithful band, each member of which loved him
passionately.

"In June, 1926 on the Goodwill Tour of the Pershing Highway which began in St.
Joseph, Missouri, and ended at New Orleans, the people of Winnfield conceived
the idea of rewarding him and his band by giving them a trip.  No easier
collection was ever taken in Winnfield.  People volunteered to contribute to
the worthy cause.  Seventeen boys and five girls composed the band.  They went
joined the cavalcade at Ruston and went the rest of the way.  From Alexandria
they traveled in a large bus.  I telephoned ahead and had two large streamers
printed, one for each side of the bus, reading "Seery's Band, The Pride of
Winnfield."  When he saw it, he refused to go one step until "The Pride of
Winnfield" had been cut off.  Can you imagine such modesty?  That was Mr.
Seery.  His band took the country by storm.  At every stop, the people would
crowd around and applaud every selection.

"At Franklin, the citizens of that good town gathered in great numbers at the
courthouse to do honor to the procession.  As usual, Mr. Seery and his band
was the center of attraction.  Every one marveled at the "Old Master" and his
High School Band.  The speakers paid high tribute to him, much to his
annoyance.  The tour was one continual triumph.  The fame of the band had
preceded the tour and at New Orleans the newspapers of the city sent their
reporters and photographers to meet them on this side of the river to get the
pictures of the band.  Mayor Behrman sent his representative to invite them to
play in the parks on Sunday afternoon.  

"Coming back by Baton Rouge, on Monday morning they gave Governor Fuqua a band
concert in the historical state capitol where they played several selections
for him.  He delivered a beautiful speech on the power and pathos of music and
paid a wonderful tribute to the master mind who had trained the young people
to play so marvelously.  While he spoke, large tears trickled down the cheeks
of the good man, who, only a short time afterwards, went to his reward.  

"Mr. Seery was well educated, having graduated in the law department of Tulane
University.  He was too modest and unassuming to even attempt to practice. 
For some years he was the director of a theatrical orchestra in the city, but
his telegraphic work took him away from the city and brought him to us.

"He was so strangely quiet, few people outside of his associates in work and
his boys knew him, although he went in and out amongst us for twenty years. 
It was my privilege to know him fairly intimately.  By frequent visits and
judicious questions, I found out a great deal about his past life.  He loved
and adored the memory of his sainted mother.  She must have been beautiful in
spirit to produce such a son.

"Long ago, I reached the conclusion that he was the first citizen of
Winnfield.  I am still of that opinion and shall be until some pure spirit
appears who more unselfishly and ungrudgingly lays down his or her life for
the boys and girls of the town.

"His love for his boys and their love for him was sublimely beautiful.  For
the past two years, since his health began to fail, they tenderly looked after
him and one of them, Peck Martin, slept on the floor each night for two years
beside the "Old Master" in order that he might be near to serve him. 
Yesterday, when the soul of this good man slipped away from the tired and worn
body and winged its flight back to God where it will play on a harp of a
thousand strings, Peck had to be taken away by his faithful comrades to his
own home where he put his arms around his mother's neck and poured out his
young soul in anguish, saying that he had lost his best friend.

"A great deal has lately been said in the press about erecting monuments on
Court Square.  No more fitting subject for a public monument, pointing
heavenward, will ever appear in our midst than our departed friend, but his
monument is in the hearts and lives of the boys and girls with whom he has
labored for all these years, besides, he would not have it that way.

"It was first thought proper and fitting to bury him at Packton beside his
beloved brother, but the boys would not consent to it.  They said bury him in
Winnfield where we can look after his grave and we will bring the body of his
brother here and place it by his side.  Can anything be more beautiful and
touching?  What other person in our midst without kindred and loved ones would
fare so well?

"I have no fears that he will be soon forgotten.  His goodness and long
suffering tenderness will be handed down from generation to generation, until
the members of the band, some of whom have already preceded him, will be
reunited with the "Old Master" and there will be a reorganization which will
last through the ceaseless ages of eternity.

"The Son of Man went about doing good.  So did Mr. Seery.  He loved little
children and suffered them to come to him.  So did Mr. Seery.  He was modest
and full of good deeds.  So was Mr. Seery.  He was a man of sorrows and
acquainted with griefs.  So was Mr. Seery.  He had not where to lay his head.
Neither did Mr. Seery.  'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see
God.'  'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.'  'Blessed are
the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.'  No man of my acquaintance
measured up to those requirements more than he.

"In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have
done it unto me."

Farewell, dear friend, farewell.  Your life has been a benediction to us and
we promise that we will carry on your good work, so that you will not have
labored in vain."