#1-Published in The Pilot, January 2, 1929

GUY H. WILSON DIED LAST THURSDAY

HAD CONDUCTED THE P.Z. WILSON DEPARTMENT STORE HERE IN BLAIR FOR 27 YEARS AND EARNED A FINE REPUTATION FOR HONEST DEALING

FUNERAL SUNDAY IN ARLINGTON

The end came for Guy H. Wilson at the home of his sister, Mrs. J. F. Laaker, in Arlington, at about midnight last Thursday, December 27. About six weeks ago he had a bad heart attack after driving over there, being just able to get to the door of the Arlington store when he succumbed.

He was taken to the home of his sister and gradually improved until he was able to be up and around. He was down to the store over there a few times. He began to lose out the latter part of last week and Monday was quite poorly. He slept most all day Christmas and his condition became critical the following day.

Word received here last Thursday evening that he was very low and death came at about midnight that night. The store here was closed Friday and Saturday, the funeral being held at the home of his sister, Mrs. Laaker, at 2:30 Sunday afternoon. Rev. Adrian J. Edgar, of the Methodist church in Arlington, had charge of the service, being assisted by Rev. J. E. Aeschbacker, of the Congregational church.

Burial was in the family lot in the Arlington cemetery by the side of his parents, whose death occurred a good many years ago. The funeral was largely attended and the floral offerings were both numerous and beautiful.

Mr. Wilson was born in Oshkosh, Wis., May 12th, 1858, so was 70 years, 6 months and 16 days old. He spent his boyhood days in Oshkosh and attended the public schools there. He took a business course and was graduated from Oshkosh Business College. Last summer he revisited the place of his birth on an auto trip that he enjoyed very much. He saw some old school friends and the scenes of his early days.

He came to this county with his parents the fall of 1879 and they settled at what was then Belle Creek, now Arlington, where his father, the late P. Z. Wilson, engaged in the mercantile business. They had a store at Telbasta, at one time, also one at St. Edwards and at Waterloo, Neb., all of which have been discontinued.

The store at Arlington was run by Wm A. Wilson and J. F. Laaker, whose wife was a sister of Mr. Wilson. Some twenty-seven years ago Guy Wilson came to Blair and started a branch store, which he had run continuously, developing it into the largest of the stores in the corporation of P.Z., The Shoe Man.

Mr. Wilson took pride in his business and developed a feature, Friday bargain days that has come to be almost an institution of itself in this community. Mr. Wilson was the soul of honesty and fair dealing. His Friday bargain days were built upon the slogan, “if you aren’t satisfied come and get your money back.” It is needless to say that he gave very little of it back, so careful was he not to misrepresent anything in his advertising.

The business will be carried on here by William A. Wilson, who has had charge since Guy’s illness some six weeks ago. Mr. Wilson was exceptionally good to his clerks and Miss Catherine Kelly had been with him in the dry goods department for 25 of the 27 years he had been here.

He had advertised his Friday Bargains in The Pilot continuously, and in no other paper, for almost the entire period of his doing business in Blair, with the writer for 22 years. So well had he established the feature that we actually had subscribers who took the paper especially to get P.Z’s Friday Bargain ads.

This is one of the finest tributes that could be paid him, he won the confidence of the people who did business with him and retained it for almost a quarter of a century. The Pilot has always felt proud to be the medium selected to carry these weekly messages to the friends and patrons of that store.

Mr. Wilson was never a robust man, yet he managed to get a good deal of enjoyment out of life. He was a great reader and was well informed on the subjects of the day. He enjoyed auto riding and hardly a week passed that he didn’t take some drive, often inviting friends to go with him for company.

He took a delight in the ownership of a good car and had only recently purchased a Studebaker President that was one of the finest cars owned in the city. His last trip was made over to Arlington about six weeks ago, his heart going back on him so that he was only able to get to the door of the company store. He was never able to drive the car after that day.

Besides the corner upon which his store is located he had purchased what was formerly the Home Theatre corner now occupied by T. L. Lathrop and the Nebraska Motor Co. Later he also purchased the Gutschow building now occupied by The Blue Goose Store on the ground floor. He had purchased several farms and had proved himself a successful business man.

This community will greatly miss Mr. Wilson and the bereaved family have sincere sympathy of his many friends in Blair and vicinity. It is to be hoped that his brother, Will, will fill his place so well that the loss will not be noticed as much as if the business was to fall into other hands.

His death having occurred over at Arlington we somehow feel as James Whitcomb Riley did when he wrote the poem entitled “Away,” which runs as follows:

I cannot say, and I will not say - That he is dead; He is just away! - With a cheery smile, and a wave of the hand - He has wondered into an unknown land. - And left us dreaming how very fair - It needs must be, since he lingers there. - And you, O you, who the wildest yearn – For the old time step and the glad return - Think of him faring on, as dear - In the love of There as the love of Here. - Think of him still as the same, I say, - He is not dead; He is just away.

#2-3 Jan., 1929 - The Tribune

GUY WILSON DIES

Engaged in Business in Blair for 27 Years

Guy H. Wilson died at the home of his sister, Mrs. John Laaker at Arlington last Thursday at midnight following a six weeks illness of leakage of the heart. Mr. Wilson was born May 11, 1858 at Oshkosh, Wisconsin and was educated in the public schools in that city. When he was a mere youth, he together with his father and his brother, William, set up in the hardware business in Oshkosh. The business prospered and after ten years of activity, the store was destroyed by fire in 1879.

The family later moved to Washington county, Nebraska, locating at Arlington and shortly thereafter formed a corporation and purchased several stores nearby with headquarters at Arlington. The elder Mr. Wilson died and left his sons, Guy H. and William A. in charge of the business. Guy later started the store at Telbasta, but when the building was destroyed by fire a few years later, the present structure was erected. Later the Wilson brothers disposed of their interests in the Telbasta store to Ed Schafersman, present owner, who was employed with them at the time. At one time the corporation was said to have owned not less than five mercantile establishments. Following the disposal of the store at Telbasta, Guy returned to Arlington and assisted his brother in business, and in 1901 he came to Blair and opened the business he operated up until shortly before his death. Mr. Wilson was possessed of a keen business ability and held a wide acquaintance in Washington county.

The funeral services were held from the Laaker home at Arlington last Sunday afternoon, the Rev. Edgar of Arlington officiating, after which interment was made in the Arlington cemetery. He leaves to mourn his loss a brother, William A. and a sister, Mrs. John Laaker, both of Arlington. A nephew also survives.

#3 Printed in the January 3, 1929 Enterprise

BLAIR MERCHANT PASSES AWAY

Guy H. Wilson Passes Away on Thursday, Dec. 27. Conducted General Retail Business in Blair for 27 Years. Suffered Stroke.

CAME TO NEBRASKA IN 1879

Guy H. Wilson was born in Oshkosh, Wis., on May 11th, 1858 and passed away on December 27th, 1928, at the home of his brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. J.F. Laaker of Arlington, Neb., at the age of seventy years, six months and sixteen days.

He spent his boyhood days in Oshkosh and received his education from the public school there. He was a graduate of the Oshkosh Business college. In the fall of 1879 he came with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. P.Z. Wilson, to Arlington, (then known as Bell Creek) to engage in the general mercantile business. For nearly fifty years this firm has been engaged in business in this vicinity. For the past twenty-seven years, Mr. Wilson has been connected with the branch store at Blair.

Though never a robust man, his unlimited energy and talented brain led him on to the goal of his ambition, an honest and upright successful merchant.

His illness was of short duration, he having gone to the home of his sister but six weeks ago. He leaves to mourn him, one brother, W.A. Wilson of Arlington, one sister, Mrs. J.F. Laaker of Arlington, and one nephew, Allen Laaker of Arlington, besides a host of friends.

The funeral services were held at the home of his sister, Mrs. J. F. Laaker on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m., Rev. Adrian J. Edgar of the First M.E. church officiating, assisted by Rev. J.E. Aeschbacher.

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

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