Surnames: RICHARDSON COWLES CHAMBERLAIN BYSE

----Sources: The Loyal Tribune 15 May 1930

Richardson, Verland C. (19 NOV 1897 - 8 May 1930)

"And so we wait with ear and eye For someone gone who should be nigh."

Such a sense of loss is ours because we have laid to rest one who has grown from childhood to manhood among us.

Verland Cowles Richardson was born was born in Green Lake, Wisconsin on Nov. 19, 1897 and passed away at his home in this village May 8, 1930, after a short illness.

Verland was the only son of Mr. D. V. Richardson and Mrs. Hattie Richardson. He received his education in the public school and high school of our village and Mayville, Wis.

While still in high school at the early age of fourteen, he began working in the Citizens State Bank, later rising to the position of bookkeeper and first assistant cashier. The latter position he held until 1923 when he accepted a position as cashier of the Laconia State Bank, at the age of twenty six, being one of the youngest bank cashiers in the state. Upon the reorganization of the Loyal State Bank the following December, he was elected cashier and held the position until January 16, 1930, when he resigned. During the time of his service at the Citizens State Bank he was assistant cashier of the Bison State Bank in S. Dakota for six months, from which place he was called back to continue with his work here.

Besides his regular work, Verland had an interest in the social, civic and religious welfare of the community. He was secretary-treasurer of the Loyal Fire Department from the organization of the same a few years until he resigned in January. He was affiliated with both the Mason and Modern Woodman orders. He has attended Sunday School since childhood, in recent years being a member of the Men’s Bible Class in which he took a great interest. He was also a member of the Methodist Church.

Verland was a man of outstanding characteristics, being clean and manly and unafraid to stand for his beliefs. One of his most winning traits of character was his courteous attention to elderly people.

He was a diligent worker and this with his ability, his courteous manner, his friendliness, and his kindly consideration of others won for him the high position which he held in our village, and also won him many friends throughout this and many other locations.

He was a great lover of the great out of doors.

On June 12, 1918 he was united in marriage to Miss May Chamberlain of this village with whom he spent nearly twelve in happy wedlock. Two little daughters came to bless this union, Winifred May, eight years of age, and Lois Beth but three months old.

Besides his wife and children, he is survived by a mother, Mrs. Hattie Richardson of Loyal, one sister, Mrs. Charles Byse of Finland, Minn., other relatives and a host of friends.

The funeral services were held at the Methodist church on Monday afternoon at 2 o’clock, Rev. G. C. Wadding officiating. The service was largely attended, and the floral tributes were many and beautiful. There were pieces from the Clark County Bankers’ Association, The Masonic Lodge, the Fire Department, the Modern Woodman, Former Directors of the Loyal State Bank, individual friends and groups of friends.

Burial was in the Loyal Cemetery with Masonic rites at the grave.

The active pall bearers were Percy Voight, H. P. Wanner, Elwin Cook, Harry Palms, Frank Christenson, and Dr, O. W. Bauman of Wabeno, Wis.

Honorary pall bearers were James McGonigal, former president of the Loyal State Bank and Albert Davel, former vice president, Ross Lawrence of Thorp, Vandy Sherida of Owen, A. C Buker of Greenwood, Herman North of Neillsville, K. Andrews of Colby, and J. H. Cundy of Marshfield.

And as his friends and fellow workers perform their last tender acts of loving memory, they sense anew their loss and realize that unreal though it seems, Verland’s work is finished among them and theirs must be finished without his kindly presence. Though they often long for the smile of greeting or the sound of the voice that is still, they love to think with the poet: "I cannot say—and I will not say

That he is dead....... he is just away.

With a cheery smile and a wave of the hand

He has wandered into an unknown land,

And left us dreaming how very fair

It needs must be since he lingers there.