Susan
(Miner) Bemis
(1879-1964)
Susan (Miner) Bemis was born on Sept. 29, 1879 near Tontogany, Wood County, OH, the daughter of Jacob and Louise (Finkenbeiner) Miner. She went by the nickname 'Susie' most of her life.
Susie
married Fred H. Bemis (1877-1958). They had two children – Myrtle Emery and
Arden D. "Dood" Bemis.
The Bemis family resided in Haskins, Wood County, for many years. They were members of the First Federated Church of Haskins.
For nearly a half-century, Fred operated the Bemis Grocery store, a well-known produce and meat establishment in Haskins. He retired in 1958.
Seen
here is a rare old photographic postcard of Findlay Street in Haskins. Note
the posts supporting a square-shaped structure in the middle of the street --
believed to be a pumping area for well water. Horse hitching posts are directly
in front of the store building with the awning.
Fred passed away at home at the age of 80 on April 27, 1958. He was buried at Fort Meigs Cemetery.
Susie outlived Fred by six years. When she was age 82, Susie became seriously ill. After three years of suffering, she died on Aug. 13, 1964, at age 85. Her obituary was carried in the Bowling Green Daily Sentinel Tribune. At her death, she had three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Son Arden
"Dood" Bemis (1916-1998) is seen here. He married Faith (?),
and they resided with their two daughters in Sylvania, Lucas County, OH, a
suburb of Toledo. Dood was "a projectionist working at many of the theaters in the Toledo area,
retiring from Franklin Park Cinemas in 1984," said a local newspaper. He
passed away at the age of 81 on March 18, 1998, at Flower Hospital in Sylvania,
and was laid to rest in Toledo Memorial Park Cemetery. At the time of his
passing, Dood and Faith had four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Daughter
Myrtle Bemis (1897-1994) married Samuel B. Emery (1892-1955). They are seen
at right in an early photograph, perhaps a wedding portrait.
Said a newspaper, "She was a graduate of Bowling Green Normal School. An
elementary school teacher, she worked in the Haskins and Toledo systems for over
35 years." Sam passed away on March 31, 1955, at the age of 63. He was
buried at Fort Meigs Cemetery. As a widow, Myrtle moved to Doylestown, near Philadelphia, to be
nearer to her son Jerrell. In Doylestown, she was a member of the Central Bucks Senior Citizens
Association and St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Myrtle passed away on Nov. 16, 1994,
at the age of 97.
Grandson Jerrell
Bemis Emery (1929-1993) married Mildred "Midge" Herman in August 1951.
A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Midge taught music in the Monclova, OH public school
system near Toledo. They later moved to Zionsville, Boone County, IN, remaining
there for 17 years. Jerrell received his doctorate degree from Purdue University
in 1960, and for more than three decades was a senior research scientist with
Johnson & Johnson, first in Indiana and later in Pennsylvania. During that
time, he published more than 30 scientific papers and obtained 18 patents in the
field of veterinary virology. Among other awards, he won the Philip B. Hoffman
Award for outstanding achievement in research and development. In 1970, Jerrell
and Midge moved to Chalfont, Bucks County, a suburb of Philadelphia, PA.
Following retirement from J&J in 1985, Jerrell taught microbiology at Holy
Family College in Philadelphia. In their new life in Southeastern Pennsylvania,
Jerrell taught Sunday School and sang in the choir at St. Paul's Lutheran Church
in Doylestown, and was a Cub Scout leader. He passed away at the age of 64 at
Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia in 1994, and was laid to rest at the
Doylestown Cemetery. Following Jerrell's passing, Midge remained in Chalfont.
Granddaughter Sharon Sue Jones taught third grade in the Sylvania School System in Ohio and the Mt. Pleasant School District in South Carolina, one of hundreds of cousins to have worked in the field of public education over the years.
Copyright © 2002-2004, 2007 Mark A. Miner