Obit of Bessire, Julius - Roger Mills County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Wanda Purcell 10 Jun 2007 Return to Roger Mills County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/rogermills/rogermills.html ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ===================================================================== ::White Rose Cemetery--Reydon OK Surnames: Bessire, Sommer, Forest Originally posted at: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.oklahoma.counties.rogermills/8122/mb.ashx Julius Bessire was born March 9, 1860, in Perry, C.T. (State) of Bern, Switzerland, and passed away Monday, August 9, 1943, at the age of 83 years and five months. In his sixteenth year he was confirmed in the Presbyterian church of Perry, Switzerland. Sixty-two years ago he was married on September 17, 1881, to Miss Elisa Sommer of Etzelkofen, State of Bern, Switzerland. To this union was born eight children: six boys and two girls. The first son and daughter were born in Switzerland. The daughter, Ida Lee, passed away in infancy; and a son Carl William, or Bill, died in May, of 1942 at Amarillo, Texas and was buried at Reydon. In June 1855. Mr. Bessire and his family moved to America, and founded their home in Monoroe, Wisconsin, where they lived fifteen years. In 1901 Mr. Bessire came to the opening of the now territorey at El Reno, Oklahoma, where they lived for one year. In 1902, he homesteaded the farm southwest of Reydon where he and his wife lived twenty years. Here they raised their children and helped build a new community. In 1922, Mr. and Mrs. Bessire moved to Midway where they alsdo resided for twenty years. In August, 1942, they came to Reydon where he lived until his death. Mr. Bessire was given a musical education in Switzerland. In Monroe, Wisconsin, he sang first tenor in a man's quartet selected from "The Singers' Club" of 600 voices. He was awarded ribbons and medals in voice from various states as well as Switzerland. Singing parts of French songs as last Sunday, his voice remained clear and true to the last. He worked at watch case plating in Switzerland. In Wisconsin he was employed at the Borden's Condensed Milk Factory. He worked always for the improvement of the community in which he lived. He pioneered in new farming and dairy practices in Western Oklahoma. He served 16 years as janitor of the Midway school, where all the children loved him. He was modest and retiring, and a gentleman through and through. He leazves to mourn his passing his wife, five sons and one daughter; Oscar of LaFarge, Wisconsin; Ernest of Yuba City, California; Clara Forest of Portales, New Mexico; Eddie and Leo of Reydon, Oklahoma; and Jesse of Allison, Texas. These and their families, including twenty-two grandchildren, twenty great granedchildren, twelve great-great greandchildren, and a host of friends are left to mourn his passing. His wife and three sons, Eddie, Leo and Jessie, and families, were at his bedside. Funeral services were held Wednesday at 3 P.M. August 11, 1943 at Reydon by Rev. Horace Woodard, pastor of the Baptist church, assisted by Rev. M.A. Hawkins. Burial was at White Rose Cemetery, Roger Mills County, Oklahoma with the Fatheree Funeral Home of Reydon and Erick in charge. Cheyenne Star, Cheyenne, OK 23-Nov-1943 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Roger Mills Archives http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/rogermills/rogermills.html