Williams - Ida Straughan
Source: The Vidette-Messenger (Valparaiso, Indiana) - Tuesday 1 August 1950 p 1
An 88-year-old South Porter county resident died as the result of a fall down a flight of basement stairs Monday afternoon while she was alone at the home of a daughter in Beatrice. She was Mrs. Ida Mae Williams who for the past six and one-half years had lived at the home of Mrs. Josephine Bilbo, on RFD 1, Hebron. She had moved there from Waveland, Ind. The aged woman was found dead at the bottom of the stairs at about 5 o'clock by her son-in-law, D. J. Bilbo, who called Dr. Theodore Makovsky, county coroner. Dr. Makovsky reporterd that she apparently had tripped at the top landing and fell down some eight stairs to the floor, suffering a fractured skull. He said she had died several hours earlier. After taking a statement from Bilbo, the coroner ruled that death was accidental. The decedent was born March 5, 1862, in Parkersburg, Ind., the daughter of John and Sarah (Harrison) Straughan. She was married in January 1888 at Fincastle, Ind., to Robert Y. Williams, who preceded her in death. To this union were born two children, Mrs. Bilbo, and a son, Donald Straughan Williams, who is deceased. Two brothers also died earlier. Surviving in addition to the daughter are four grandchildren, Mrs. Jack Malte of Eureka, Calif., Jean and Barbara Bilbo of Honolulu, T. H., Benjamin Bilbo of Sitka, Alaska; and three great grandchildren. Mrs. Williams was a member of the Christian church and of the Order of Eastern Star. The body will be moved Wednesday from the Bartholomew funeral home here to the Machledt funeral home in Waveland, where services will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Russellville cemetery. Friends may call this evening from 7 to 9:30 at the Bartholomew funeral home.
Thanks ever so much to Ginny A. for this one - the Bilbo & Straughan family were very prominent citizens of my little town and I knew several of them -- I never knew what happened to Ida though - now I know, thanks to Ginny A - kz
Source: Waveland Independent, Aug 3, 1950
Mrs. Ida STRAUGHAN WILLIAMS, passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Von Bilbo at Hebron, Indiana July 31, 1950. Death was due to a fall and was instantaneous. Ida May Straughan was the daughter of the late Dr. John W. Straughan and Sarah Josephine Harrison Straughan and was born in Parkersburg, Indiana March 5, 1862. She had two brothers, Robert S. Straughan of Parkersburg and Dr. KK Straughan of Waveland, both deceased. She was married to Robert Y. Williams in Fincastle, Jan 31, 1888. Mr. Williams preceded her in death Feb 7, 1944. To this union were born two children, Mrs. Bilbo at whose home she died and with whom she had resided the past 6 ½ years and a son, Donald Straughan Williams, who passed away in Hollywood, California Sept 9, 1947 age 45. She leaves besides the daughter, four grandchildren, Mrs. Jane Malte of Eureka, California, Jean and Barbara of Honolulu, TH and Benjamin G. Bilbo of Sitka, Alaska and 3 great grandchildren; also Dr. Lee Straughan of Crawfordsville; Mrs. Georgia Coshow of Indianapolis and Mrs. Maud Cook of Waveland, nephew and nieces. Mrs. Williams had been a member of the Waveland Christian Church for the past 45 years and was active in the work of the church as long as she was able. She was a charter member of Russellville Chapters Eastern Star and Pythian Sisters lodges and an honorary member of the Past Matron’s Club of Eastern Star. The funeral was held at the Machledt Funeral Home in Waveland with burial in Russellville cemetery, Thursday afternoon with the Rev. Paul Osborn of the Christian Church officiating. Mr. NR Walker offered a medly of her favorite hymns on the organ. Pall bearers were nephews of her late husband, John, Warren, Bruce, Edwin and Ralph Williams and Charles Klein.