CLARK NV Archives Obituaries.....[Pearce, Fred - 3/8/1924] ************************************************ Copyright. All rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nv/nvfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Gerry Perry missgerry@cox.net [11/12/2005] LAS VEGAS AGE - 3/15/1924 FRED PEARCE KILLED ON ROAD TO KINGMAN Crushed Beneath Overturned Automobile Well Known Vegas Man lives But Short Time The community was shocked last Saturday evenign by news wired from Needles that Fred Pearce had been killed in an automobile accident. He had left Las Vegas about noon Saturday to drive to Kingman, Arizona to be present at the initiation of a class by the Kingman Lodge of Elks. He was driving alone in the Studebaker car belonging to H. G. Sheppard, accompanied only by his four blooded Boston Bull dogs, which it was his habit to take with him always. It appears that he was driving at considerable speed when, at the approach to a rather sharp turn, about 20 miles south of Searchlight, the car left the road and turned over. Mr. Hawkins of the Searchlight Garage came upon the scene of the accident a short time after it occurred. With the aid of other travelers who came along, Fred was extricated from beneath the heavy car which was resting across his chest. The injured man was still alive but died within a few minutes after being released. The body was taken to Needles, Cal. where an inquest was held. Sunday a number of Vegas Elks including Harley A. Harmon, Dr. R. F. O'Brien, M. E. Ward, A. R. Anderson, Frank Gasewalle, R. F. Shield, Dr. and Mrs. C. D. Farrar, Jack Thornton, A. Coradetti, Curley Fennell and Sam F. Herman drove to Needles, returning with the body, Monday noon. The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon at four o'clock in Elk's Hall. The beautiful service of the Elks was impressively carried out in the presence of a great throng of friends of the departed brother. Floral offerings were many and beautiful. Impressive and beautiful numbers were sung by Florence S. Doherty and W. T. Stone, accompanied by Mrs. H. W. Martin on the piano and Matt Kelly, on the violin, the selections including "My Faith Looks up to Thee", "The Vacant Chair," "Somewhere the Sun is Shining," "One Sweetly Solomn Thought," and "Jesus Loves of My Soul." W. P. Jones, secretary fo the Kingman lodge made a brief talk in which he paid a touching tribue to the deceased who for 22 years has been a member of Kingman lodge. As a recognition of his activities, as an Elk, during which he brought some 90 members into the Kingman lodge, Brother Pearce was a life member of Kingman Lodge. Showing the esteem in which he was held a number of the Kingman Elks came to attend the funeral, among them being Frank Dickerson, H. L. Horner, Jack Fettes, Jack Wilson, John Hamilton, W. P. Jones, James Sharp, Sam Martin and Martin Hamilton. Caliente also sent a delegation of Brother Elks, including Earl B. Gratto, Geo. M. Senter, Lloyd Denton and Wm. Cline. The pall bearers, all brother Elks, were A. S. Henderson, O. K. Adcock, James Cashman, Wm. E. Orr, Dr. H. F. O'Brien and A. R. Anderson. The services were completed at Woodlawn Cemetery by the officers of the lodge, Harly A. Harmon, Exalted Ruler; A. W. Ham, Esteemed Leading Knight; Roy W. Martin, Esteemed Loyal Knight; C. E. Pembroke, Esteemed Lecturing Knight and J. F. Fagan, Chaplain. More than fifty automobiles followed the hearse to the cemetery. Fred Pearce was a quiet man, modest in his demeanor and reticent to some degree, but possessed of a friendly spirit and a kindly heart. He was strong and loyal in his friendships and there were many whom he called friends. He was devoted to the principles and teachings of Elkdom and strove to govern his life thereby. He was unmarried, but leaves two sisters and a brother who reside in the East. Considering his life and death, we are reminded of a stanza from the poem "Life" by Anna Letitia Harbauld: "Life: we've been long together Through pleasant and through cloudy weather; Tis hard to part when friends are dear Perhaps t'will cost a sigh, a tear Then steal sway, give little warnbut Choose thine own time; Say not Good Night, but in some brighter clime Bid me good Morning."