The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-12-09
Will A. GARDNER DEAD

y H . u
Popular County Recorder Stricken
| by ApOplexy Saturday Morning,
Death Being Instantaneous.
villa. Gardner, recorder of Deca-
tur county, died last Saturday morn
ing about nine O'Clock at the Thomas
Jackson farm, four miles east or
Leon, a stroke of apOplexy ending
his life almost instantly.
| Mr.. Gardner had accompanied
County Engineer Frank Mallette and
George Kinds to the country, partly
for the pleasure of the trip and part
ly to lend assistance in survey for
road improvement. At various
times in the past he had made SINH
lar trips with the engineer and was
quite familiar with the work.
About nine o'clock the party arriv-
ed at the point of operation. They
had left the car and walked about
three-fourths of a mile to the place
where they were to start work. MT.
Gardner inquired what first to do to
make himself useful. The engineer
gave him some instructions and the
two men started in opposite direc-
tions in the pasture where they had
set up the surveying instrument.
| Mr.. ,Mallette had taken but a few
steps when he heard Mr.. Gardner
fall. Turning and running quickly
to him he realized at once that some
thing serious had happened. He
started Mr.. Kinds on a run to the
Jackson farm house to telephone for
physicians and turned his personal
attention to the stricken man, but
aside from a fleeting spasmOdic flut-
ter there was no evidence of life. AL
most instantly these first indications
ceased and a good man had passed
into the Great Beyond without a cry
or a spohen word. 1t is believed that
death was entirely painless
| Mr.. Kinds telephoned to Lester
Gardner, the dead mans son, that
his father had fallen and was i'll, and
to come with physician at once.
Lester, who is deputy recorder, was
alone in the Office and patrons wait
ing, SO he ran across the street and
notified his brother Earl, of the Leon
Clothing Co., who secured DR.. Lay
ton. They were delayed slightly in
starting so that it was an hour or
more before they reached the scene.
Medical men unite, however, in the
opinion that no help could have been
given the stricken man even had
skilled physicians been on the ground
at the time.
1t was sad and bitter experience
for Earl to find that his father was
beyond human aid but he rallied
quickly and gave telephone instruc-
tions for, notifying other members 2f
the family as gently as possible.
DR.. Layton, who is also county
| coroner, removed the body at, once
to the Jackson home. Shortly after
ward F. S. Stewart took charge and
conveyed the remains to the family
home in north Leon, where sympa-
thizing friends had as far as possible
prepared the bereaved wife and 9TH
er members of the family to meet the
sorrow. Their grief was heart rend-
| ing in the extreme but all bore up
bravely.
About three years ago Mr.. Gardner
had a weeks illness which was
brought about by acute Indigestion.
Since then he had suffered tempor-
arily from the same trouble and since
Thanksgiving had undergone consid-
cradle pain from return of the all
ment, having lost only day and a
half from the office, however. On
Saturday morning he went to his Of
flee in the court house as usual and
in answer to inquiries both there and
at home stated that he was feeling
much better and in fact seemed to
think he was entirely we'll. About
$3.50 engineer Mallette asked him if
he felt like driving to the country
with him and Mr.. Gardner gladly ac-
cepted the opportunity to get the
ride and the fresh air, even refusing
to wear an overcoat which was offer
ed him. With the exception noted
above he had always been in excel
lent health and the news of his sud
den death was hard to believe.
All day Saturday and Sunday
friends in an unending stream call
ed at the home to pay their last re-
spects and if there was any kindness
or thoughtful attention omitted it
was SO slight as to be unnoticeable.
The funeral was held at the Chris
tian church Monday afternoon at
2:30 o'clock, and the. large edifice
/ was filled to OverflOWlng. Many
were unable to gain admittance and
stood in the church yard in the chilly
wind till the close of the services. All
the county Offices and all the stores
and other business places were clos
ed during the funeral hour. The
High School, in which the two young
er sons are students, was dismissed
so that the teachers and classmates
could be preent The Eastern Star,
of which Mrs. Gardner is member,
attended the services in body.
! Floral tributes were very numer-
/ our and beautiful
| The services at the church in
charge of Rev. Henhy Esch, were
very touching. Rev. A. B. Cornell,
of Van Vert, who had been a warm
friend of the deceased from his early
boyhood, and who had off1ciated at
his wedding twenty-six years ago,