FORMER SCHOOL HEAD IS DEAD

D. V. Masser Dies Suddenly After a Short Illness

SCHOOL HEAD 8 YRS.

Word reached Blair last week of the death of D. V. Masser, formerly for eight years the superintendent of the Blair school system.

Deceased was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania August 12, 1889 and died July 28, 1938 at the age of 48 years, 11 months and 16 days. The direct result of his death was an attack of intestinal flu.

He was making his home at Rathbun, Iowa, where he was superintendent of the schools of that city. He was ill of intestinal flu 8 days, and when his condition became serious his physician had him removed to the St. Joseph hospital in Centerville, Iowa where he passed away.

Both he and Mrs. Masser had been in Blair for a short visit only a few weeks ago, and The Enterprise was indebted to them for a very pleasant visit.

He was a man of more than ordinary ability, a good school man and very conscientious in his work, and while in Blair he made a number of close friends. He was socially inclined and both he and his wife were favorites in social circles while here.

He had been in Rathbun two years, and was already busy getting things in shape for his third year when he became ill.

Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. from the Methodist church in Colo, Iowa where as a boy and a young man he had attended Sunday School and church, and burial was made in the Colo cemetery beside his parents.

The pallbearers were members of his championship basketball team from Rathbun. Friends were in attendance from Ames, Nevada, Centerville, Des Moines, Marshalltown and a great assemblage from Rathbun.

Besides the wife he leaves relatives in Kansas City, Kansas; Marshalltown, Des Moines and other places.

#2-The date and place of publication of this newspaper article was not recorded.

D. V. MASSER, 48, FORMER HEAD OF SCHOOLS IS DEAD

FORMER BLAIR SUPERINTENDENT SUCCUMBS TO PNEUMONIA IN IOWA

28 July 1938 D. V. Masser, 48, former superintendent of the Blair schools, died of pneumonia Friday in a hospital at Centerville, Iowa. News of his sudden death came as a shock to his many Blair friends, for he and Mrs. Masser had visited here only three weeks ago.

The body was taken to the Colo, Iowa, his former home, for burial beside the graves of his parents. Methodist services were held Sunday.

Mr. and Mrs. Masser and his mother left Blair in 1932 after eight years’ residence here, when Mr. Masser resigned to be succeeded as Blair superintendent by I. J. Montgomery.

For the past two years Mr. Masser had been superintendent at Rathbun Iowa, where he was to have served during the coming year.

Mr. Masser began his eight-year term with the local school system in September, 1924, and both he and Mrs. Masser were also members of the faculty.

The schools made much progress under his administration. During his time here two modern school buildings were erected to replace older structures. They were the Central and North buildings.

Scholarship standards were raised. Blair students won more honors in state scholarship, contests than did students of any other Nebraska schools.

The debate teams, which Mr. Masser coached, won over 60 per cent of their meets, and the state championship in 1928. He took great pride in the debate, declamatory and track activities he supervised, which brought numerous district and state awards to Blair.

Mr. Masser was prominently identified with Blair affairs and state educational and school affairs. While here he was a member of important committees of the Nebraska State Teachers’ Association and when he left he was secretary-treasurer of the Nebraska State Music Association of District Two, which had 144 member schools. At that time he also was president of the Tri-Valley Athletic Association. He also had been president of the East Central Nebraska Athletic Association and head of the Eastern Declamatory Association. He was once Eminent Commander of Jordan Commandery No. 15, Knights Templar, of Blair.

Mr. Masser was born at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, August 12, 1889, and resided in Colo, Iowa, as a youth. He is survived by his wife; an uncle; D. W. Engler of Kansas City, Kansas; and a half-brother, Amos Masser, of Los Angeles.

The Masers came to Blair from Fonda, Iowa. During Mr. Masser’s terms here, high school enrollment increased by 25 per cent.

~~~Obituary courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska ~~~ Find a Grave Memorial #45721317