George Loftis, 68, Died Friday

Blairite, County Resident Since Three Months Of Age, Buried Monday

George Loftis, 68, of south Walker avenue, a Blair resident only a few years but a resident of Washington county since he was three months of age, died Friday at University hospital. He had been ill several weeks.

Mr. Loftis was born December 25, 1871, near Fairfield, Illinois, the son of Caleb and Mary Loftis. The family came to Herman when he was three months old, settling on a farm in the New England neighborhood.

Mr. Loftis, after growing to manhood there, was married to Miss Ruth Fletcher January 1, 1896. Seven years ago they moved to a farm near Blair, later moving into town.

Surviving Mr. Loftis are his widow, Ruth; three sons, Floyd and Leonard Loftis of Herman and Freeman Loftis of Blair; three daughters, Mrs. Fern Lorsch Mrs. Birdie Helen Lorsch and Mrs. Marjorie Lorsch, all of Blair; and 16 grandchildren. There are three brothers, John Loftis of Tekamah, Frank Loftis of Herman and Bert Loftis of Craig; and four sisters, Mrs. Nancy McConnaha, Mrs. M. E. Anthony and Mrs. Louis Larsen, all of Blair, and Miss Olive Loftis of Omaha.

Mr. Loftis had been a member of the Methodist church since joining at Vacoma when a boy. He later transferred his membership to the Herman Methodist church.

The Bendorf Funeral Home had charge of arrangements. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday at First Baptist church here, the Rev. Thomas J. Reese of Jefferson, Iowa, formerly of Blair, officiating. The Rev. C. E. Hamilton of the local church assisted. Music was furnished by a Herman quartet, Charles Gray, Mrs. Harley Rogert, Mrs. E. C. Johnson and Fred Robertson with Mrs. Gordon Lowe at the piano. Pallbearers were Wayne Loftis, Carleton Taylor, Lloyd Fletcher, Earl Fletcher, Louie Hovendick and Delbert Fletcher, all nephews of Mr. Loftis. Burial was in Blair cemetery.

#2-8 Feb., 1940 - The Enterprise

GEORGE LOFTIS, 68, DIED FRIDAY, FEB. 2

George Loftis, well known throughout the county as a farmer of the Herman vicinity, although he had lived in and near Blair for the past seven years, passed away in an Omaha hospital on Friday, February 2 at the age of 68. His death came as the result of a month’s illness. Funeral services were held at the Blair Baptist church on Monday afternoon with Rev. T. J. Reese of Jefferson City, Iowa officiating, assisted by Rev. C. E. Hamilton of Blair. Burial was in the Blair cemetery.

Mr. Loftis was born on December 25, 1871 near Fairfield, Wayne county, Illinois, but had spent nearly all his life in Washington county, having come here with his parents when only three months old. The greater part of life was spent in the New England neighborhood where his many friends held him in high esteem. On January 1, 1896 Mr. Loftis was married to Miss Ruth Fletcher, and to their union six children were born, all of whom survive. In 1933 Mr. and Mrs. Loftis moved to a farm south of Blair, and later they retired to a home in Blair.

Surviving are the wife; three sons, Floyd and Leonard of Herman and Freeman of Blair; and three daughters, Mrs. Fern Lorsch, Mrs. Birdie Helen Lorsch and Mrs. Marjorie Lorsch of Blair; three brothers, John of Tekamah, Frank of Herman, Bert of Craig; four sisters, Mrs. Nancy McConnaha, Mrs. M. E. Anthony and Mrs. Louis Larsen of Blair; and Miss Olive Loftis of Omaha; and sixteen grandchildren.

Out of town friends and relatives who attended the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Carleton Taylor and Miss Olive Loftis of Omaha; Mrs. Ernest Grossoelme of Peru; Lloyd Fletcher of Beatrice; John Loftis and Miss Alice and Herman Magill of Tekamah; Mr. and Mrs. Parke Loftis, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Loftis and Marion of Craig; Mr. and Mrs. Louis Hovendick of Arizona; Mr. and Mrs. C. Morris of Carroll, Nebraska; Mrs. Clarence Sorenson of Wayne; Mr. and Mrs. William Kay and Mrs. Anna Klassen of fort Calhoun; Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lang and Howard Curley of Craig.

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