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Clarence
Garner Stairs |
Clarence Garner Stairs was born on
Nov. 28, 1886 in Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland County, PA, the son of Lehman
G. and Mattie (Minerd) Stairs.
At the age of 13, in 1900, the federal census shows him living at home with his parents and employed as a carrying boy at a local glass factory.
Clarence married Nora Violet Martz (1890-1970), the daughter of George and Mary (Troutman) Martz. They had six children -- Vernon Eugene Stairs, Harold Eldon Stairs, Howard Milton Stairs, Violet Marie Foreman, Hazel Irene Rahme and Thelma Jean Appleby.
The
Stairses resided in Mt. Pleasant and Greensburg, Westmoreland County.
Clarence was a member of both the United Commercial Travelers and the Woodmen of
the World. They are seen at right, flanking daughter Thelma, in front of the
flower-covered porch of their home.
Clarence retired in about 1946. They moved to Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL, where they joined the Tampa Evangelical United Brethren Church.
In the summer of 1951, Clarence and Nora escaped the Florida heat and returned to Mt. Pleasant to visit family and friends. On July 21, they spent time at the home of the Frank L. Foreman family in Greensburg and that evening went to see their daughter, Violet Foreman, at White Hill near Youngwood, Westmoreland County. That evening, shortly before midnight, Clarence died suddenly of a heart attack at the Foremans' home. He was buried at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.
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Tampa's pleasant skyline, as viewed from Davis Island, in the years before skyscrapers |
In the photo seen here, in an
unidentified cemetery, are Nora (far left) and Thelma (far right) with an
unknown friend. The photo possibly may have been taken at Clarence's funeral.
Nora outlived Clarence by nearly two decades. She died in Mt. Pleasant on May 11, 1970.
Sons Harold and Vernon and daughters Hazel and Thelma also resided in Florida.
Son Howard was the only family member to remain in the Greensburg area. Howard was a salesman for Armour & Company, and was treasurer of the Otterbein Evangelical United Brethren Church. He died a year after his father.
For more information, contact Harriet Stairs.
Copyright © 2001-2002, 2005, 2010 Mark A. Miner