William Bloomenshine

William Bloomenshine, son of John and Elizabeth Bloomenshine was born near Washington, Tazewell County, Illinois, June 18, 1836, and died at the home of his nephew, William Dietterle, near Roberts, June 28, 1924, aged 88 years and 10 days. Fifty-three years of his life was spent at the place of his birth he then came to Ford County and lived with relatives here. In 1895 he went to the home of William Dietterle and this has been his home for twenty-nine years.
The life of the deceased has been a sad one to contemplate. At the age of three years at his home in Tazewell County they were digging a well. The little boy William wandered to the well while the others were getting ready for dinner one day and fell into the well, striking on his head. He never recovered from this injury. since that time he has been an invalid even deprived of the power of speech from the time of the accident until his death. A long, long life eighty-five years since the accident, he has lived to see friends come and go, himself not able to do much but constantly receiving the care of the loving members of his family. Cared for first by his parents, next by brothers and sisters, then for twenty-nine years in the family of a nephew.
Think of the devotion which is indicated by the long, long years of faithful service given him, the devotion which can only be  repaid by the knowledge that beyond the grave there is a meeting place where the infirmities of this world are wiped away and where the souls of all the just, both served and serving, shall meet on equal terms and just reward shall be made for the sacrifices in the vale of sorrow.
Death came suddenly with little suffering.
The deceased leaves one brother in Peoria; also numerous other relatives and friends.
The funeral services were held at the home Monday afternoon at two o'clock, Rev. Charles Wunsch officiating after which the remains were laid to rest in Lyman Cemetery.

--Roberts Herald.  2 July 1924.