OBIT: Robert E. BEERITS, 1945, native of Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library.
Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer.

Copyright 2007.  All rights reserved.
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ROBERT E. BEERITS

  A native and resident of Somerset all of his life, and a prominent businessman 
of the county for forty years, news of the death of Robert E. Beerits, 72, in 
St. Petersburg, Florida, at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 14th, was received with 
profound sorrow in his home town and county.
  Mr. Beerits health had been failing the last two years.  He recovered from a 
severe illness in October, 1943, and another in January, 1944.  At the approach 
of cold weather last fall he decided to spend the winter in Florida.  He 
departed for St. Petersburg, November 13th, and lived at the Pennsylvania Hotel 
in that city through the winter, intending to return home this spring, but last 
Thursday was stricken with an acute attack of his malady and was removed from 
the hotel to a hospital where he passed away two days later.
  His sister, Mrs. Frank R. Lyon, of Fairmont, W.Va., was with him when he 
expired and accompanied his remains to his home, Shady Terrace, East Main 
Street, Somerset, arriving there Monday evening.  
  Funeral services were conducted by his pastor, Dr. I Hess Wagner, at the 
Beerits home, at 3 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, and were largely attended by 
sorrowing friends.  Mortician Charles R. Hauger had charge of the funeral and 
burial arrangements.
  Robert Ernest Beerits was born in Somerset, in 1873, a son of Henry C. and 
Belinda (Stahl) Beerits.  He attended the Somerset public schools, Indiana State 
Normal School, Gettysburg College and Eastman's Business College at 
Poughkeepsie, N.Y., before he settled down to business.
  One year before his son Robert was born, Henry C. Beerits formed a partnership 
with Jonas M. Cook in the grocery and feed business, under the firm name of Cook 
& Beerits, which continued until 1905 when Mr. Cook sold his interest in the 
business to his partner and retired.  Mr. Berrits thereupon took his two sons, 
Robert E. and John H., into partnership, under the firm name of H. C. Beerits & 
Sons.  In 1908, the elder Beerits died, and the sons continued as partners under 
the firm name of H. C. Beerits' Sons until the present time.  Under their able 
management the business expanded and prospered into the largest and most 
successful mercantile establishments in Somerset County.
  At various times and places H. C. Beerits' Sons were also successfully engaged 
in coal mining and lumbering.
  Robert Beerits never married.  He had his home with his parents until they 
passed away, after which his youngest sister, Mrs. Ida Dougan (wife of Dr. W. R. 
Dougan) became his housekeeper and remained so and was his devoted companion 
both before and after the death of her husband.  Mrs. Dougan has been a patient 
in the Somerset Hospital since last December 1, owing to having both legs 
fractured in an automobile accident.
  Surviving besides his two sisters, Mrs. Lyon and Mrs. Dougan, and his brother, 
John H. Beerits, are a number of nephews and nieces, all of whom were very fond 
of their "Uncle Bob."  Attending his funeral were the following relatives of the 
younger generation: Capt. Robert Beerits Lyon, who is recovering from battle 
injuries at Camp Pickett, Va.; Frank R. Lyon, Jr., a lawyer, of Charleston, 
W.Va.; Mrs. Edward Alevander of Parkersburg, W.Va., the sons and daughter of Mr. 
and Mrs. Mary Lyon; Attorney Henry C. Beerits of Philadelphia, son of Mr. and 
Mrs. John H. Beerits, and Miss Sally Dougan, daughter of Mrs. Ida Dougan.
  Robert E. Beerits was an active member and elder of Trinity Lutheran Church 
for many years.  He also took much interest in civic affairs.  He was a staunch 
Republican in politics and served as a member of the borough council during the 
time that Somerset's sewer system was under construction, in the supervision of 
which he was very dilligent.  He was an active member of the Somerset Chamber of 
Commerce, a past president of the Somerset Rotary Club and a member of the 
Masonic fraternity and Phi-Delta Thet national college fraternity.

Meyersdale Republican, April 19, 1945