RITES FOR MRS. F.H. CLARIDGE IN BLAIR TODAY

Native of Washington County, Born At DeSoto In 1862

Mrs. F. H. Claridge, a native of this county, died at her home in Omaha on the night of April 28th at the age of 80 years.

She was the daughter of Abe Cassetter, who at the time of her birth in 1862 was in the banking business in DeSoto and who later, when Blair was founded in 1869, moved to this city and established what was known as the Banking House of A. Cassetter located in the building now occupied by the Washington County Bank.

Mrs. Claridge grew to womanhood here and received her education in the Blair schools and married F. H. Claridge, at that time an employee of the bank. They made this their home until after the collapse of the bank in 1921.

They later moved to Omaha where the husband died in December, 1938. Since then Mrs. Claridge has made Omaha her home. They had no children.

Funeral services were held today at 2 p.m. from the local Episcopal church of which she was a member, with Rev. Charles Myers of Fremont officiating, and interment, under the supervision of J. E. Campbell, will be made in the family lot in the Blair cemetery.

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Claridge, Helen M. (Castetter)

MRS. CLARIDGE RITES TODAY

WIDOW OF FORMER BLAIR BANKER DIES IN OMAHA; EPISCOPAL RITES HERE Mrs. Fred Claridge, 80, widow of a former prominent Blair banker, died Tuesday afternoon in Omaha at the home of her sister, Mrs. Foda Nash, 845 South 59th street.

The body was brought to the Campbell mortuary in Blair, and funeral services are being held at 2 p.m. today at St. Mary’s Episcopal church, interment to follow in Blair cemetery beside the grave of her husband, who died December 2, 1938.

Mrs. Claridge had been seriously ill for more than three years.

Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Castetter, prominent pioneer residents of old DeSoto and Blair, Mrs. Claridge was born March 1, 1862 at DeSoto as Helen M. Castetter. The family later moved to Blair when her father transferred his bank, the Banking House of A. Castetter, to this city.

She and Mr. Claridge, who had come here from Baltimore in 1883 to work in Mr. Castetter’s bank, were married in 1886. The Claridges remained here for years, being prominent in the city’s social, religious and civic activities, and Mr. Claridge became president of the bank. The bank closed its doors in 1921.

The Claridges built the home at 305 west Grant street now owned by Mrs. Clark O’Hanlon.

Mr. and Mrs. Claridge had no children. The only immediate survivor is the sister, Mrs. Nash. There are a number of nephews and nieces. Scott Castetter of Blair is a cousin.

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

Find a Grave Memorial #114254352