Ray Hitchman Dies Saturday After Illness

Head Of Prominent Blair Family Had Been Ill Only Short Time

Many At Funeral Monday Morning

Cashier of Former Farmers State Bank, He Was Well-Known Here; Was Member of School Board and Other Organizations

Ray Hitchman, 43, head of a prominent Blair family and one of the civic leaders of the community for 13 years, died early Saturday morning in an Omaha hospital. He had been ill for about ten days.

Mr. Hitchman first became ill about July 11, when he was unable to appear at the offices of the Nebraska-Iowa Oil company, where he had been employed as head bookkeeper for some time. When his condition became worse he was removed to a local hospital, after being taken to an Omaha hospital. There, in spite of the efforts of medical science, he passed away Saturday morning.

Raymond Colburn Hitchman was born in Weeping Water, Nebraska, February 12, 1891, and spent the early part of his life there. He attended the Weeping Water schools, graduating from the high school in the spring of 1909. The same year he enrolled at the University of Nebraska, and spent a year as a student there.

On February 7, 1914, Mr. Hitchman and Miss Ruth Beveridge were married, moving to Plattsmouth, where he was in business for seven years. In July, 1921, the Hitchmans moved to Blair where Mr. Hitchman and his brothers, Alec and Charles, became interested in the Farmers State bank. Mr. Hitchman served as cashier of the institution until its closing late in 1932, since which time he had been employed at the offices of the Nebraska-Iowa Oil company.

He was a leader in Blair business and civic circles. A member of the city school board, he served efficiently and only last spring was re-elected to the same seat on the board. He was an active member of the Blue Lodge, A.F.&A.M., and for one term served as the highest official in the chapter. At the time of his death he was an official in the Commandery, Knights Templar. Mr. Hitchman was also a member of the Blair Chamber of Commerce.

An ardent sportsman, Mr. Hitchman had been a member of the Blair Golf club since its formation. Two years ago he won the Hitchman trophy, a prize donated for the golfing champion each year by his brother, Alec.

To Mr. and Mrs. Hitchman were born five children: Eugene, who died in 1926; Robert, Barbara, Jane and Ann. Mrs. Hitchman and the latter four children survive, as do three brothers, Charles M., Alec B. and Jack; and four sisters, Mrs. John Pilling of Omaha, Mrs. L. P. Wolcott, Mrs. Albert Pool and Mrs. Ray Clark, all of Weeping Water.

Funeral services were conducted Monday morning at 10 o’clock in the Blair high school auditorium, with his pastor, Rev. Arthur F. Newell of the Congregational church, officiating. Active pallbearers were Dr. W. F. Hemphill, Harry Morris, I. J. Montgomery, L. C. Klopp, Arthur Johnson and Marcus Beck. Honorary pallbearers, all Masons, were Ernest Schmidt, John A. Carrigan, Lester E. Belford, Louis Murdoch, Charles Farnham and C. O. Dawson. Interment was in the Blair cemetery by the side of his son, Eugene.

Miss Gertrude Mead and Mrs. Gladys Moore Berger sang beautiful solos at the last rites. Gifford L. Dixon sang a tenor solo, “My Task,” which was very impressive.

Rev. Newell, in delivering the eulogy, said in part: “There have been, and there are, other quiet, effective and helpful citizens here, but in a peculiar and unobtrusive way his own personality and spirit have become so outstanding and felt during his thirteen years in Blair that he has stood out in a prominence that his modesty would never demand, and he himself would hardly understand.”

Enterprise 26 July 1934

Ray Hitchman Dies In Omaha Hospital

Blair Mourns death of Man Endeared to All. Funeral Monday.

IS A VICTIM OF HEAT

It isn’t often that the death of a citizen brings such a shock and so much sincere sorrow to a community as did the passing of Raymond C. Hitchman who passed away last Saturday morning, July 21, after a brief illness.

There are but few men who are held in such high respect and who held the confidence of those who knew him as did the deceased. During the time of his residence in this community he had at all times showed himself to be trustworthy in every capacity in which he served and the public had called him to fill many places where good judgment and fidelity to truth and honesty were important factors and he never failed in living up to the expectations of the public.

Raymond C. Hitchman was at his death forty-three years, five months and nine days old. He was born at Weeping Water, Nebr., where he attended the public schools and where at the age of eighteen he graduated. He also spent one year at the state university at Lincoln.

On February 7, 1914 he was married to Ruth Beveridge of Plattsmouth. The made Plattsmouth their home for seven years and in July 1921 moved to Blair where they have since resided.

The family since moving to Blair have had, it would appear, more than their share of trouble, first the death of a son by accidental shooting, serious illnesses of other members and now the death of the dearly beloved husband and father leaving the wife and four children grief stricken and alone. While the deepest sympathy of the public is extended to these grief stricken ones may and will help to allay the pain and suffering yet the pain of loss is there and mere words are indeed but empty reminders of the past.

Besides the wife and children he leaves three brothers, Alec and Charles, both known in Blair and another brother not known here, also four sisters, one living in Omaha and the other three in Weeping Water.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. Monday at the high school auditorium, he having served for a number of years on the board of education. Rev. A. F. Newell had charge of the ceremonies. Music was furnished by Miss Gertrude Mead, Mrs. Gladys Moore Berger and Gifford Dixon. Mr. Dixon sang, “My Task”.

Interment was made in the Blair cemetery.

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