The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-12-27
BiIl'11at Verm0nter Suffered for
Year From Cancer
WAS HEAD OF NATIONAL LIFE
Native of Holland Rose Through His
own Efforts from Newsboy to
Highest Rank in Business.

Montpelier, Dec. 2b.-l ne hon JOS
eph Arend DeBoer passed away at
| 5 o'clock Christmas morning. death
| following an illness from cancer OF
nearly years duration. He made
his last public appearance during the
session of the 1915 Legislature when
he made a forceful address against
the educational bill then pending
which measure was the result of the
Investigations of special commits
sion. He also nominated Mayor
James NJ Boutwell, at the March cleo
ton. Sooon after he went to Brook
line. Mass, where he underwent two
operations and submitted to a third
several weeks later. Since then he
has gradually failed. Two weeks ago
he had a sinking spell and his condi-
ton has been regarded as critical
from that time until mis- death Satur-
day
The funeral will be held at two o.
clock Tuesday afternoon at Christ
Episcopal church.
Joseph Arend DeBoer was horn
June II, 1861. in Warffum, Holland.
the son of John Arend and Anna
Peters tKuiper) DeBoer. The fami-
" as far back as its lineage has been
traced is pure Dutch. When Mr. De
Boer was four years old his father
died. He was brought to the United
States in 1867 by his mother, who re-
married. and lived in Albany, n, Y.
Young DeBoer became a newsboy and
paper carrier, attending the grammar
school and high school, from which
he was graduated in 1880. Then he
went to Dartmouth and worked his
way through college, graduating in
1884 with the degree OF A. B. Dart
mouth conferred upon him the honor
airy degrees OF a. NJ. i'll 1887 and Sc.
D. in 1909.
His superior gifts and qualifications
as a teacher were Immediately recog-
nized and he was sought for the posi-
tion of principal of the Montpelier
Union school For four years he was
principal of the Montpelier Union and
the Washington county grammar
schools and made an enviable reputa-
tion as an educator.
In 1889 he became actuary in the
National Life Insurance company
holding that Office for 10 years. He
was elected a director and secretary
in 1897, second vice-president in
charge of agency forces in 1909. vice
president in 1901 and president in
1902, which office he held to the time
of his death.
He had repeatedly served as dele
gate to county, district and State con-
ventions, acting as chairman of the re
publican state convention in 1910,
He was senator from Washington
county in 1900 and representative
from Montpelier in 1908.
He long and earnestly advocated re-
form in State taxation laws as funda-
mental to Vermont's progress and
growth He urged that practical poll
tics must supply system by which
the desires of the people shall be eX-
pressed in well-digested platform prin
ciples, sustained by an election of
representatives and senators who will
enact such principles into law and OF
executives and judicial officers who
will make them applicable to the bust
ness and prosperity of the people on
equal terms.
He gave his time and his best eff
fort whenever called upon by the
State. county, or city, and in every
instance the work was honestly, eili-
ciently done, perpetual monuments to
his name existing to testify thereto.
Mr. DeBoer was a 32nd degree Ma
son, charter member of the Actuar-
ial Society OF America: member OF
the Kappa Kappa Kappa and Phi Beta
Kappa, Dartmouth, Vermont Histori-
cal society the Apollo and Country
clubs of Montpelier, and many other
societies in the United States.
The family requests that no flowers
be sent.