Here is the obituary I received from Sue Vetter Wemett for Captain E.B.Ives, of Verona, KS, 1884-1958. I greatly appreciate it and wanted to make it more visible.
Lincoln Sentinel-Republican, April 3, 1958
E.B. Ives
Edwin Burke Ives was born at Nevada, Mo., June 1, 1884, and passed away at his store in Vesper, Kan., March 18, 1958.
At the age of 16 he joined the U.S. Navy and in four years of service saw the world. He served during the Spanish American War and was honorably discharged in May 1905 with the rank of quartermaster.
In 1910 he was married to Amelia Mae Swartz of Salina and the young couple made their home in that city, operating a grocery store near Kansas Wesleyan University.
During World War I, Mr. Ives volunteered for duty with the U.S. Army, Aug. 1, 1917, and three months later was commissioned a second lieutenant. He served overseas in all the major engagements of World War I where he was assigned to the 2nd Division, Ninth Infantry. He was discharged with the rank of Captain in October 1919 after being decorated with the Croix De Guerre (with palms), the Distinguished Service Cross and the Victory Medal. He was in Germany for a short time after the Armistice but returned to the States when his wife died at Salina during the flu epidemic.
Following World War I, Mr. Ives returned to traveling sales work, opening the sales territory of New Mexico and Arizona for Folger and Company and later opening southwest Texas for sales and carload distribution for Wilson and Company. He organized and established the fresh Provision Company, now one of southwest Texas’ major provision companies.
In 1929 or 1930, Mr. Ives returned to Kansas, selling store equipment, refrigerator cases and similar lines. He acquired the old Vesper bank building late in the 1930s and worked out of there until World War II.
At the age of 58, Mr. Ives re-enlisted in the Army. He retained his rank of captain and was assigned to the Provost Marshall’s department in California. Later he was transferred to the Transport Command and served aboard ship in the Pacific until he was 60, at which time it is mandatory that line officers be placed on inactive-duty status.
Returning to Vesper, Mr. Ives devoted his time to his store and established a good business, always intensely interested in his community. He was a member of the American Legion Post 165 of Lincoln.
Mr. Ives leaves the following relatives: A son, Howard Ives and family of Beaumont, Texas; a daughter, Mrs. Margaret Bell of Phoenix, Ariz.; a sister, Mrs. R.J. Coleman of Phoenix, and eight grandchildren.
The funeral services for Mr. Ives were conducted by the Rev. William L. Staub, minister of the Vesper Presbyterian church, at the Hall Memorial Chapel Saturday, March 22, at 2 o’clock p.m. Interment was made in Gypsum Hill cemetery at Salina.
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