Obituaries (August 12)

William E. Gibbon

1878 - 1936

Death claimed one of Oxford's best-known business men, at 1:30 o'clock last Thursday afternoon when William E. Gibbon, 58, failed to respond to medical aid after being stricken by a heart attack at his place of business on Lafayette Square at 3 o' clock that afternoon.  Dr. Mat Boname, a nephew of Mr. Gibbon, was summoned immediately, as was Dr. B.A. Hall.  The treatments were given at the deceased man's late home on Clinton street.  Mr. Gibbon was a native of Oxford and a lifelong resident.  A successful and highly respected business man, he operated, for many years, a department store. and since 1933, a restaurant and grill.  His sudden passing is a shock to his friends and a distrint loss to the community.  The deceased was born March 16, 1878, the son of Henrietta Fraser and Mat H Gibbon.  On December 15, 1910 he married Miss Idalene Talada of Elmira.  As a young man he learned the plumber's trade from W.P. Roname.  Working at this for Clark Barlett for some time, he later conducted a shop of his own.  Later he abandoned the plumbing business to go into retail trade and about 20 years ago he conducted a store in the Jones block.  In 1924 he purchased the Clarke block, where his two places of business are now located. When the post office was moved to the Navy Island block in 1933, the part of the block thus occupied was remodeled and made into a grill.  The funeral was held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the late home.  Dr. H. Curtis Whedon, rector of St. Paul's church, officiating. Burial, with a Masonic service, was made in Riverview cemetery [Oxford, Chenango Co., NY].  Mr. Gibbon is survived by his wife and a daughter, Betty Jean; one sister, Mrs. Edith Boname; two nieces, Mrs. Van Woert Ellis of Margaretville, Mrs. Edgar R. Mallory of Detroit, Mich., and two nephews, Dr. Mat Boname of this village and Arnold Gibbon of Norwich. 

 

Josephine E. (Richards) Secor

1853 - ca 1858

Mrs. Josephine E. Secor, who had been a member of the Home since October 1927, passed away, February 8, aged eighty-five years.  For the past several years she had been a patient in the hospital and had been in failing health. Funeral services were held from the parlors of Colwell brothers, in Bainbridge, on February 11, and interment was made in Greenlawn cemetery of that village [Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY].  A brother, Frank M. Richards, a sister, Ardelle Gale, and a son James W Secor survive.

 

Mary Ardell Sweet

1863 - 1939

Mrs. Mary Ardell Sweet, died Feb. 12, 1939, at Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] of a cerebral hemorrhage.  She was born on Oct. 29, 1863 at Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], and lived her entire life here except a few years that she was in Nebraska.  Mrs. Sweet was a member of the Methodist church and the Rebekah Lodge.  The funeral was held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Colwell's Funeral Parlors, the Rev. Underwood officiating.  The burial was in Greenlawn Cemetery [Bainbridge, NY].  The pallbearers were Chas. Puffer, Wm. Davis, Chas. Ireland and Robert Hollenbeck.  She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Orville Jones of Bainbridge and Mrs. Ella Cornell of Endicott, one sister, Mrs. Carrie Loomis of Schenevus, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

 

Stephen L. Gifford

1872 - 1939

Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY]:  Stephen L. Gifford 66, died suddenly, January 28, at 11:25 a.m., at his home on the Guilford-Bainbridge road, following a heart attack.  Mr. Gifford was born, in Masonville, Sept. 13, 1872, the son of George and Mary Jane (Carrol) Gifford.  He had always lived in the vicinity of Masonville until he came to Bainbridge seventeen years ago.  He was engaged in active dairy farming and had done his work as usual on the day of his death.  He is survived by his wife, Nellie Gifford; four daughters, Mrs. Stratford Van Valkenburg and Mrs. Lewis Peck of Masonville, Mrs. Kenneth Wackford, of Oxford and Bernice, at home; two sons, Austin and William Gifford, of Masonville.  Three sons and one daughter passed away several years ago.  Other survivors include three sisters, Mrs. Henry Merritt, Mrs. Anna Peters, of Binghamton, and Mrs. Bertha Van Epps, of New York City, The three brothers surviving are John Merton and Guy, of Masonville.  There are thirty-one grandchildren and one great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews.  Funeral services were held Tuesday Jan. 31, at 1:30 p.m. at Colwell Funeral Chapel with the Rev. G.N. Underwood of the Methodist Episcopal church officiating. "Safe in the Arms of Jesus," "Lead kindly light," and "He Leadeth Me," were sung at the end of the service.  Pall bearers were James Becker, Otto Neidlinger, Henry Gardner, Elmer Niles, Guy Smith and Harold Campbell.  Interment was made in the family plot at Masonville ][Delaware Co., NY].