SERVICES TO BE HELD FRIDAY FOR NED TYSON

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Services will be 2 p.m. Friday, November 4, at First United Methodist Church in Blair for Ned Tyson, 78, on of Washington County’s outstanding businessmen until illness forced his retirement in 1977, who died at Memorial Community Hospital in Blair on November 1, 1983.

Dr. Gordon Patterson will officiate. Burial will be in the Herman Cemetery.

Ned Tyson was born in Blair January 3, 1905 to George William and Abbie Sheets Tyson. He was raised on a farm north of Blair and graduated from Herman High School in 1924.

While still in high school he began operating a truck, hauling grain and livestock. Later he formed a partnership in the trucking business with L. D. “Ike” Long. This led to forming John Deere dealerships and land investment.

His endeavors included farming, cattle feeding, trucking and a John Deere dealership in Herman, Tekamah and Blair. He was a pioneer in the blending of commercial fertilizers; an operator of a fleet of transports which supplied aviation gas to various air bases during the war; was part owner of Transit, Inc.; a Chrysler-Plymouth car dealer; owner and operator of Tyson Elevator Co.; and part owner of the Blair Cattle Company.

He cleared 1200 acres of Missouri River bottom land, putting it into productive use. Renters still farm this rich ground.

In 1962, working with John Deere, he pioneered and experimented in planting 30 inch rows of corn and milo. He also pioneered in liquid fertilizer and had the first plant west of the Mississippi River.

He served as mayor of Herman for a number of years and was a member of the Herman School Board. He had been a member of the Herman Masonic Landmark Lodge No. 222 for more than 50 years; the Herman Eastern Star; Scottish Rite and Tangier Shrine.

He is survived by his wife, Irma, Blair; and sons and daughters-in-law, George and Nancy Tyson, Blair; Tom and Sandra Tyson, South Padre Island, Texas; and daughters and sons-in-law, Russell and Susan Van Horn, Omaha; and Douglas and Nancy Axtell, Omaha. Fourteen grandchildren also survive him.

Active pallbearers will be Jess Wright, Harry Webb, James Cornish, Kermit Goll, Howard Kubie and Howard Thompson.

Honorary pallbearers will be Al Sick, H. L. “Buck” Cole, Ralph Chase, Robert Duden, W. R. Schaefer, Wm. Hogarth, Dr. R. F. Sievers and Wm. Rasmusssen.

Bette Kirk will be organist.

Campbell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

~~~Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file at the Blair Public Library.~~~