Obituary: George Earl KEPHART (23 Jan 1944)

Obituary. Earl KEPHART (23 Jan 1944). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Earl Kephart, 55, Dies Monday At Rochester

Funeral Services Will Be Held Friday At Immanuel Church

Earl Kephart, 55 years old, died at St. Mary's hospital in Rochester on Monday morning, Jan. 23, following an operation on the previous Friday for tumor of the brain.

Mr. Kephart became ill of the prevailing flu epidemic on Nov. 20 and was confined to his bed about a week at that time. On Dec. 13 he was taken ill again and remained in bed at his home until Jan. 6, when he was removed to Immanuel hospital at Mankato, where he could have constant attention of nurses. As treatment did not respond favorably, he was removed to Rochester, where an operation was performed on Jan. 21, which disclosed a condition which surgeons believed could be cured by X-ray treatment. However, his resistance had been so lowered by his illness of flu that his death followed in a couple of days.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow, Friday, at the home at 1:30 and at the Immanuel Lutheran church at 2:00 p. m. Rev. A. E. Wenger in charge. Mayor C. H. Wendt requests that all business places close from 1:30 to 3:00 p. m. in honor of our fellow townsman.

Earl George Kephart was born in Middletown township April 15, 1888. He came to Lakefield with the family when about 15 years old and about 40 years ago began business with his brother, Ross C. Kephart, when they bought the James Rost implement business. In later years Earl Kephart gave most of his attention to conducting a machine shop while his brother continued the blacksmith business.

Mr. Kephart has been a consistent booster for Lakefield in season and out and was one of the leaders in working for every worthy project to put Lakefield in the front ranks of progressive villages in the state. For 14 years he was chief of the local Volunteer Fire department; he served as village trustee, also served as member of the board of education. About 18 months ago he was asked by Uncle Sam to take a position as teacher in the N. Y. A. school at Shakopee. When the school closed last fall he secured employment with the Brown-Bigelow company in Minneapolis, working on defense projects for which the company had a contract.

Mr. Kephart is survived by his wife and two children: Alfred of Glencoe, Minn., and Lorraine, Mrs. Joyce Evenson, of Fulda; three brothers, William and Ross of Lakefield and Levi of Redwood Falls; four sisters, Bertha, Mrs. H. E. Palmer of Minot, N. D., Lottie, Mrs. George Blakey, south of Jackson; Ella, Mrs. Ernie Pearson of Middletown township, and May, Mrs. Reinhold Rost.

Complete obituary in next week's Standard.