FLOYD APPLEBY, SALESMAN EXTRA-ORDINARY

Floyd Appleby, well-known Blair furniture and appliance dealer, lost a long battle to cancer this week. He died at his home Sunday, August 18th.

Death came after many months of valiant struggle against overwhelming odds. He had sought treatment in many hospitals and from many specialists but in recent months his condition had worsened steadily and the end was inevitable.

Floyd Appleby was probably one of the most colorful merchants Blair has ever had. He was a sales man extraordinary and a promoter seldom equaled even in the largest of organizations. He was a continuous and consistent advertiser both by newspaper and radio and he became known to thousands who read his advertisements and heard his promotions in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. He had a flair for the spectacular and he used it continuously to attract customers to his successful furniture and appliance store.

Mr. Appleby was born at Blair May 29, 1921. He attended the Pleasant View rural school north of Blair and attended Rose Hill school during his 9th and 10th grades. He was a graduate of Arlington High School in 1938. He was baptized in the Baptist church at Florence, Nebr., in 1940.

He worked for a time in Omaha, moving to California in 1941 where he was assocated with a firm selling and building private swimming pools. Later he went to work for Lockheed aircraft and entered the Merchant Marines in 1943.

He was in the Marines during World War II and made a number of long sea journeys on fighting vessels. His cruises took him all over the Pacific on trips which at one time kept him aboard ship for seven months.

He returned to California in 1946 and to Blair in 1949. Upon returning to Blair he worked for a time as a salesman for the Kelly-Ryan Equipment Co., and later became associated with his father, Harley Appleby and his brother, Byron, in the farm equipment business. Later he dropped the farm equipment business and entered the furniture and appliance field.

He is survived by his wife Betty; a son, Gregory, and daughters Sandra and Susan, all reside at Chattsworth, California. There are also three stepchildren, Mary Gilem, Richard Gilem and Mrs. Julie Thomas.

Others surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harley Appleby, a brother, Byron, of Neligh, Nebraska and two sisters, Mrs. Pearl Livermore, of Blair and Mrs. Elsie Rafiner, also of Blair.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, August 21st at the First Christian Church of Blair with the Rev. Dennis Armstrong conducting the service. Interment was made in the Blair Cemetery under the direction of the Campbell Mortuary.

Pallbearers were James Appleby, Gary Hansen, Robert Hansen, Duane Livermore, Ronald Livermore and Don Livermore.