The Lamar register., 1923-03-07
DEATH OF W. +. McCUE
Head of One of the Most Prominent
Business Concerns of the Valley
Passes Away Sunday.


ing to learn of the death at the Ben
Mar hotel of William F. McCue, who
for nineteen years has been prominent
in all the business and social affairs
of our city. Mr.. McCue, whose head
quarters have been moved to Kansas
City recently, the better to look after
the affairs of the great mercantile
company he had built up, had been in
Lamar little over week looking
after the local affairs. He was taken
sick on Tuesday but for several days
his condition was not considered dang
erous, but later pneumonia set in and
the end came so quickly that there was
not time for any of his family to
reach his bedside. The death was
great blow to all his business associa-
es and friends, as he was known far
and wide for his kindly nature and
good fellowship, his fairness in busi-
ness methods and his broadminded
views of both business and life. He
was only As years old and just in the
prime of life when there should have
been many years of usefulness before
him. He came to Colorado in 1908 as
auditor of the Foster Lumber Co. with
headquarters in Denver and yards at
Lamar and a number of other points.
The Lamar yard owing to poor man
agement was in financial straits ana
in the spring of 1904 Mr.. McCue pur-
chased it and organized the McCue
Lumber Co., moving here with his
family about the middle of April, 1904.
Associated with him was the late
Thomas McCue, state senator ana one
of the leading politicians OF the state.
The business ability Of the two broth
ers in a few years built the business
up to the point where it was neces-
sary for McCue to move to Denver,
where he remained several years until
it was mutually agreed to divide the
business. w. +. Mclcne took over the
southern territory and moved again to
Lamar, organizing the w. F. McCue
Mercantile Co., which he built up un-
til it had yards and stores at Lamar,
Granada, Holly, Wiley, McClave, Che
raw and Fowler in the Arkansas val
lev and wholesale headquarters at
Seattle and Kansas City. He also or
ganized the McCue Construction Co.,
one of the largest constructing firms
of the valley. He later again moved
from Lamar, but kept the city as the
real center of his business activities
and always spent much of his time
here. At the time of his death he was
making his home at Kansas City.
The funeral service was held from
the Adams Kirkpatrick mortuary on
Tuesday afternoon and was conducted
by Lamar Lodge No. 1919, b. p. o.
Elks, of which he was a charter mem
ber. The Elks Harmony -Four render
ed two selections and Mrs. Grover
Carrico sang a solo, after which the
Acting Exalted Ruler Cnas. II. Wooden
delivered the following beautiful trI-
butte to the deceased brother:
"William Francis McCue, born at
Council Bluff, Iowa, December 2Srd,
1877, and departed this life on March
3, 1923. Parents, Patrick McCue and
Anna Egan McCue.
"An early training in helpful effort
fostered the energy that dominated
his life; and having an exceedingly
alert mind and observant nature, he
attracted the attention of substantial
business firms. Such contact gave him
exceptional advantages to one young
both in years and experience, and plac-
ed him in the business world, with
strong financial and ethical confidence
when others were serving apprentice
ship.
Lamar then developing, was
fruitful field for effort and since 1904
has ever had his closest attention, and
greatest interest. He expanded ms
work in keeping with the growing
needs of the community, having the ut
most confidence in his surroundings
and the courage and vision necessary
to the accomplishment of difficult un-
dertakings. Local needs or enterprises