Charles Donovan Bixby

Charles Bixby Dies at 81 Charles Bixby, 81, longtime Estherville resident and retired businessman, died at Holy Family Hospital today at 1:30 p.m.

Mr. Bixby had been in poor health for several months.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 3:30 p.m. the First Methodist Church. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, October 26, 1961)

Bixby Rites To Be Held On Saturday Funeral services for Charles Donovan Bixby, 81, who died yesterday afternoon, will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the First Methodist Church, the Rev. Fred W. Ortmeyer officiating. Family services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Sternborg-Reese Funeral Chapel. Interment will be in East Side Cemetery.

Friends may call from today until 10:30 Saturday morning at the funeral home at which time the body will be moved to the church to lie in state until the time of services.

Mr. Bixby was born Dec. 27, 1879, in Waterloo, the son of Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Bixby. He moved to a farm near Estherville with his family in a covered wagon when he was two years old. He received his education in Estherville schools and at Estherville Commercial College, now defunct. The family moved to town in 1887.

When he was 19, Mr. Bixby began operation of a feed store. Later he went into a partnership in a furniture store with J. J. Johnston. He retired in 1933. Since then he has been active in real estate and investments.

He is a former member of the city council, chamber of commerce, Commander of the Sons of Veterans at the turn of the century and was president of the East Side Cemetery Association for many years. He was president of War Dads during World War Two and was a member of Knights of Pythias.

Mr. Bixby held many offices in the First Methodist Church, of which he was a longtime member.

He was married to Eva May Ireland on Feb. 15, 1915. She died Aug. 27, 1946. In 1947 he married Mabel Mulock. He is survived by his widow; one son, Col. Orin Bixby, McLean, Va.; one daughter, Shirley Bixby of Estherville and three granddaughters, Janine, Diana and Barbara Bixby, all of McLean, Va. One brother, Archie Bixby of Estherville, also survives. He was preceded in death by his parents and 11 brothers and sisters.

The family has established a memorial for the Cancer Fund. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, October 27, 1961)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=74788740