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- A TRIBUTE TO MR. KEATHLEY
Ironton will miss the familiar red car driven by the white haired gentleman--named Clarence Keathley. Clarence has gone to live with his daughter, Caroline, and family in Northbrook, Illinois.
Since his retirement from his position as Welfare Training Supervisor for the Missouri Division of Welfare in Jefferson City, Clarence has spent his time finding, recording, and preserving the history and heritage of Iron County
FOURTH GENERATION
After the death of his wife, the former Anna Sutterfield, he turned his full attention to his consuming hobby.
He guided the Historical Society in the publishing of the book IRON COUNTY BROUGHT INTO FOCUS as a bicentennial project in 1976. By 1980 Clarence was president of the Society and they published the book READIN' RITIN’ AND 'RITHMETIC, A HISTORY OF SCHOOLSIN IRON COUNTY, MISSOURI 1840-1981. He was the author and compiler. In the same year he had a little book printed on his own called SALT AND PEPPER, a collection of old sayings.
In 1984 Clarence published two little books on his own: IRON COUNTY YEAR BY YEAR, and UNITED STATES POST OFFICES IN IRON COUNRY, MISSOURI THEN AND NOW. Each of these projects involved countless hours of research among old records, interviews with many people, countless letters, and many miles driven in his car. No effort was too much to make sure the information was there and correct.
In between and since then, Clarence has had several articles published in various magazines, including the OZARKS MOUNTAINEER and the MISSOURI HISTORICAL REVIEW. The latest will appear in the Fall Historical Review.
Mr. Keathley has donated many historical documents, the post office boxes from the old Annapolis Post Office, many artifacts and copies of his writings to the Historical Society.
The Keathley family has lived in Iron County for a long time. There was a large family and all have distinguished themselves in their work. Education has been a driving force for the whole family. Lester and Lorene
Keathley are residents of The Baptist Home, Myrene Wallace lives in Bismarck, Herschel Keathley lives in Ironton, Marshall in Denver, and Elmer in California. (This article appeared in THE MOUNTAIN ECHO newspaper on August 16, 1987 in
Iron County, MO.)
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