Blair friends of the Cheely family of Sioux City were notified of the death of the husband and father, William R. Cheely, which occurred Monday evening, Nov. 3 at 6 o’clock. He was about forty-six years of age.

The deceased had long been a sufferer of Bright’s Disease and had been seriously ill for a number of months. The recent tragic death of his only son, William, when a train struck the truck in which he was riding, has caused him much mental suffering which no doubt added to his physical disability and hastened his death.

The Cheely family, after living in Blair all of their wedded life, moved to Sioux City in June, 1920 where they have since resided.

He was connected with the Prague Milling Co. there, which company he had been associated with about eighteen years.

He leaves to mourn his death, his wife and one daughter, Sibyl, of Sioux City. Also one brother, Sam of Blair.

Funeral services were held at Sioux City, Wednesday, Nov. 5. Rev. W. H. Underwood of this city, assisting, and burial was made in Graceland Cemetery at Morningside.

A choir composed of Blair folks, Misses Ethel and Gertrude Mead, Mary Cook, Messrs John Moore and Chas. Mead sang at the service.

Over fifty Blair friends attended the services at Sioux City, testifying to the esteem in which the deceased and family are held by their old time neighbors and friends.

#2 6 Nov., 1924 - The Tribune

WILL CHEELY DIES MONDAY FOLLOWING LINGERING ILLNESS

W. R. Cheely, a former resident of this city, died at his home in Sioux City last Monday evening following an illness that had extended over a period of eighteen years Funeral services were held yesterday afternoon, and among those who paid their last respects to the deceased were more than fifty former and present residents of this community where the family had lived for so many years and was so well and favorably known.

Mr. Cheely had been a resident of Sioux City for the past five years. While yet a young man, Mr. Cheely entered the employ of the International Milling company at New Prague, Minn., and traveled for that company for eighteen years. His next position was with Swift & Co., staying with them until he became connected with the Mystic mills of Sioux City. He was a member of the Masonic order.

Last July, Mr. Cheely’s son, William Cheely, Jr. was killed when the truck in which he was riding was hit by a freight train at the Chicago & North Western railroad crossing in Leeds. While Mr. Cheely’s condition had been considered serious for the past year, it became worse immediately following the death of his son.

Mr. Cheely was born at Ellsberry, Mo., in 1879, and while yet a young man moved with his parents to South Dakota and located on a farm near Jefferson where he was educated in the public schools. In 1902 he was married to Miss Nellie Sprague of this city who survives the dead man. A daughter, Sibyl, also survives. Others who survive are two brothers, Charles, of Hornick, Ia., and Samuel, of Blair, and two sisters, Mrs. John Gardipee of Tekamah, Nebr., and Mrs. Lewis Hopkins of near Elk Point, South Dakota.

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