Ira Kreider, of 542 North Ninth Street, this city, widely known throughout the county as a rural mail currier, lecturer, former music and school teacher and automobile salesman, died Sunday morning at 1:45 o'clock at the Good Samaritan hospital where he had been a patient for a week. He had been in failing health for a year or more, and during that period was several times confined to bed, but each time displayed unusual powers of resistance to disease as well as recuperative tenacity, and resumed his duties thereafter. Recently he suffered another relapse and last week was removed to the hospital, but little hope was held out at that time for his recovery. A complication of ailments was ascribed as the cause of death. He was aged 67 years.
Born the son of Amos and Agnes (Good) Kreider at Ono, East Hanover township, this county. Mr. Kreider was essentially a self-made man and he had every reason to be proud of his achievements. He was a versatile and gifted, and with little of what is known as the higher education or college training, he not only taught for seventeen years in the Quentin and Palmyra high schools, but conducted at various times teachers' training courses. He taught singing lessons for community groups at various places and officiated in such a capacity for a time at the Lincoln school building in the city. He gave lectures on church and civic work on occasion, and never failed to interest his audiences. He started his career as a school teacher in the elementary grades, and studied incessantly while earning his living.
Fifteen or more years ago he augmented his income by operating Ford sales agencies and commercial garage establishments at Jonestown and Ono, but he sold these enterprises some years ago. Meanwhile he had also became a rural mail carrier out of the Jonestown post office, and was completing his twentieth year in the service of the government in that capacity when his career was ended by death.
He joined the Evangelical Church at Ono in his youth and for many years was actively identified with church and Sunday School work there, and for some years was superintendent of the Sunday School.
He was endowed with a genial disposition, and although he eschewed fraternal connections and devoted himself entirely to his family when he was not engaged at work, he enjoyed a wide acquaintanceship and was esteemed as an upright citizen and good neighbor. A large circle of friends shares the sorrow of the family in his passing.
In addition to his wife, nee Annie Hoke, he leaves three married children, Ralph, Lebanon; Herbert Jonestown, and Mrs. William Shaw, Columbia. There are eight grandchildren. Mrs. Elias Wengert of Lebanon and Mrs. Sadie Wengert, of Cleona, are sisters.
Lebanon Semi Weekly News - Monday, October 4, 1937