#1 Published in the Enterprise November 7, 1929

John R. Aye Answers Call-Man Prominent in Civic Affairs Answers Last Call, Wednesday Afternoon at 4 o’clock. In poor Health for Some Time-Served 2 Terms As Mayor-Active in All Civic Improvements, Both County and Town-Was Great Seed Corn Fancier.

John R, Aye, widely known as a seed corn fancier, passed away at his home in Blair, Wednesday afternoon at four o’clock following an illness of but a few days.

He had been in poor health for the past year but was thought to be improving and his death came as a surprise to everyone.

Deceased was a man of ability and a great booster for all civic improvements. He was always active in politics both local and national and was exceptionally well posted in national affairs.

He was born in Blair and all his life was spent in this locality. For a number of years he farmed west of Blair and his farming activities were the talk of the community. He did much toward introducing pure bred seed corn in the county and when he retired from the farm it was to go into the seed business in Blair and for his slogan advertised “Blair, the seed corn center of the world.”

He graduated from the Blair high school in the Class of ‘88’, and for many years was very active in furthering the interest of the Alumni Association.

He was married August 12, 1922 to Miss Klinck, who with two daughters, Margaret, seven years and Helen, five years, survive. He has also an adopted son, Jack twelve years old. He leaves one brother, Herman of Omaha.

He was active in putting across the municipal electric light plant for Blair and was the prime mover in the building of the municipal ice plant. He also served as mayor of Blair for two terms and acquitted himself with credit during his term of office.

Of late years he has confined his efforts more to this business interests but he will always be remembered as an outstanding figure in Blair’s civic life.

The funeral services will be held Saturday although at this writing the hour has not been set.

#2 7 Nov., 1929 - The Pilot-Tribune

PASSES AWAY AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS

John R. Aye, Former Mayor, Suffers Attack of Blood Poisoning

John R. Aye, former mayor of this city and one of its most outstanding characters from the standpoint of a public benefactor, passed away at his home yesterday afternoon following a brief illness due to blood poisoning. Mr. Aye had been suffering from a carbuncle on the left side of his head for several days which later caused an acute attack of blood poisoning. He had been attending to his business as usual until Saturday afternoon when he went to his home. He again came up to his place of business Tuesday noon, but only stayed a short time. Following his return to his home, his condition continued to grow worse, and early that same evening he became unconscious. it was then realized that it was only a question of hours, and the news soon spread to every corner of the city.

The eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Hans Aye, pioneer residents of this city, John was born in May, 1871. After his graduation from the Blair schools, his parents moved to a farm northwest of Blair, which continued to be the home of the family until several years after the death of the father. After moving back to Blair, John and his younger brother, Adolph (now deceased), opened the Aye Bros. seed house in this city and soon made Blair known as the “seed corn center of the world,” a slogan which has since been used by the firm.

Soon after coming to town, John took an active part in the public affairs of the community, and to him alone belongs the credit for the institution of Blair’s municipal electric light plant. Alone and single-handed, Mr. Aye refused to be defeated by the majority at the first election, at which time the question of whether Blair should own her light plant was lost, and as soon as it could be done, another election was called for the same purpose and the issue carried by a substantial majority.

He was elected mayor of the city in 1921, and served for three years. His administration was a financial success, and when he finally stepped out of office, the various city funds carried greater balances than ever before, or perhaps ever will at the close of an administration. It was near the close of his second administration that it was deemed advisable to enlarge the light plant, and the council and the mayor thought it advisable and most economical to add an oil unit. The question was referred to the people under the initiative and referendum act and the oil engine idea was defeated. Later the plant was enlarged with the adding of steam units.

While the defeat of his pet project wounded Mr. Aye deeply, yet he didn’t let it interfere with his duty as a citizen, and he could always be counted on to take an active part in every movement that was suggested for the benefit of the community. His latest activities were connected with the recent corn and horse show, in the success of which he was as greatly interested as anyone could be.

Perhaps no one in Blair was closer to John Aye than The Pilot-Tribune editor; we knew his faults as well as his virtues - and we want to say that the latter far outweighed the former. A man of strong opinions, ready wit, and a sharp tongue; well posted and a retentive mind, he will be greatly missed by a wide circle of friends who really knew and understood his inner self. Men who he claimed as friends knew the bigness of his heart and the depth and loyalty of his friendship.

John never really got over the death of his brother, “Ed”, who had been associated in business with him for many years. Together, they were an admirable team, and it was pitiful at times to hear John say: “How I wish ‘dink’ was here”. Perhaps they are together again, at least we hope so.

Mr. Aye leaves a widow, a son and two daughters, who have the heartfelt sympathy of the entire community in their hour of bereavement. There is also one brother, Herman, Aye, a prominent Omaha attorney.

Funeral services will be held from the home at 2:00 p.m. Saturday.

#3 14 Nov., 1929 - The Pilot-Tribune

TRIBUTE TO MEMORY OF JOHN R. AYE

Sorrowing Friends Attend Funeral Of Prominent Citizen

Funeral services for the late John R. Aye were held at the family home last Saturday afternoon, Rev. Daugherty of the Episcopal church officiating, and a large concourse of sorrowing friends and relatives followed the remains to their last resting place in the Blair cemetery.

Among the friends who attended from out of town were Bruce McCulloch, editor, and W. A. Truelsen, secretary-treasurer of the Journal-Stockman of South Omaha. These men were among the closest friends of the late Mr. Aye, and for a great many years had followed his experimental work in the breeding and developing of new strains of corn as well as his activities in a political and civic way.

Mr. Aye often journeyed to South Omaha for the purpose of visiting these two friends, and many a heated, although friendly, argument has been enjoyed in the Journal-Stockman office. They understood each other, and there was never a meeting that didn’t bring pleasure to all of them. These men were guests of The Pilot-Tribune editor Saturday evening before they returned to their homes. Naturally the death of Mr. Aye was the chief topic of conversation and their deep regret over the untimely death of their friend was freely expressed.

“John Aye was a benefactor, not only to the community in which he lived, but to the state a well,” said Mr. McCulloch. “He was always far ahead of the average person in his theories, and when it comes to the things he has spent his life specializing in - seed corn and poultry - I doubt if there was another man in the state who equaled him. His idea that the ideal type of field corn for this climate was not the big butted, larger ears, but the long slender ears with deep kernels and a small cob, was advanced long before the thought was grasped by other specialists, and his efforts of late years were spent in developing this type - which now is the generally approved type. He was always a power at the state agricultural meetings and never hesitated to take issue with the professors of the agricultural college if he thought they were wrong. More often than not John won his point.

“Blair is going to miss John Aye. You owe it to his foresight that you have that wonderful electric light plant, which is held up as a model for other municipal plants to follow. Its success is the talk of every community in the state wherever people are interested in these matters. Your municipally-owned light plant is one thing that Blair can be justly proud of - and please don’t forget that it was our friend, John, who virtually forced it upon you. While it is the way of life, it seems hard that such men must be taken while they are yet in their prime, when there is so much to be done in every community for the betterment of life and conditions. My observation is that all communities would be better off if there were more men like John Aye in the world."

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