OBIT: John W. FOLK, 1941, native of Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library. Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ JOHN W. FOLK Garrett County, Maryland John Wesley Folk, one of Grantsville's best known and most highly respected citizens, died at the home of his step-daughter, Mrs. Harry J. Bender, about 10 o'clock Wednesday night, Jan. 15, at the age of 80 years. Although his health had been failing for the past year, he was unusually active for one of his advanced age. He became ill about five weeks ago, but remained alert both mentally and physically until the last. A heart ailment with complications of his age was given as the cause of his death. A son of John and Matilda Harschberger Folk, he was born at Springs, Pa., Sept. 7, 1860, the tenth of a family of fifteen children. Having lived in this section all of his life he had a wide acquaintance and acquired a large circle of friends. For fifty years he operated a sawmill and also engaged in threshing, but retired from these occupations about ten years ago. Mr. Folk was a person who could not be content to remain idle however, and always managed to keep busy at one chore or another. He was twice married. His first wife, the former Mary Livengood, of Salisbury, Pa., died in 1917. On Sept. 28, 1918 he married Mrs. Allena Jane (Bittinger) Beachy, widow of Christian M. Beachy. For a number of years they made their home in Grantsville, until her death in June, 1939. Since that time he has continued to reside here, making his home with his step son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Harry J. Bender, who cared for him during his last illness. Since early boyhood he had been a faithful member of the Mennonite church at Springs. In his passing he leaves four children, all of his first marriage. They are Enos L. Folk, Grantsville, Mrs. Arthur Maust, Gettysburg, Pa., Roy Folk, Sharpsville, Pa., and Harold Folk, Friedens, Pa. Also surviving are five step- children, Mrs. H. J. Bender, Grantsville, Frank Beachy, Pittsburgh, Earl Beachy, Zanesville, O., Arthur Beachy, Philadelphia, and Herbert Beachy, Wellman, Iowa, one sister, Mrs. Saville Maust, Springs, Pa.; three brothers, Wilson Folk, near Grantsville; Christian J. Folk, Keyser's Ridge, Milton J. Folk, Fredonia, Pa., twenty-seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. The large number of relatives and friends who came to pay their last respects at the funeral services held Sunday morning at the Springs Mennonite Church, filled the building to its capacity, and many were standing in the vestibule and outside. The Rev. Roy Otto, pastor, officiated, and was assisted by Rev. W. C. Lehman, Goshen, Ind., who has recently returned from work in foreign missions. Interment was in the Springs Cemetery near by under the direction of william Winterberg, local mortician. Pallbearers were Messrs. Harry C. Edwards, Charles O. Bender, Harvey Gortner, Joel A. Beachy, C. Lee Beachy, and Joseph F. Fahey. All of the four children and five step-children of the deceased were here to attend the rites as were his sister and three brothers. Meyersdale Republican, January 23, 1941