Mrs. John Walker Called To Her Reward Monday Morning.

Death, Monday forenoon, entered a home which represents one of Mason City's oldest, best known, and most highly esteemed families.

After weeks of patient suffering, Mrs. Ida Walker, wife of John Walker, passed peacefully into the beyond. Her age at the time of her death was 68 years, 6 months.

Ida Bray, eldest daughter of William N. and Fanny Ogburn Bray, was born near Southside, West Va., Nov. 5, 1871.
When the deceased was six years of age her parents moved to Ohio, which state was the family home for seven years.
The death of the mother in early life placed upon Ida, who was only thirteen years of age, the duty of caring for five younger brothers and sisters.

In the year 1885 Mr. Bray moved his family to Nebraska, and located on a homestead a few miles northeast of the present site of Mason City.

It was on this Nebraska homestead that Ida grew to beautiful, young womanhood, and at Broken Bow, on Sept. 10, 1889, she was united in marriage to John Walker. The young couple immediately established the present family home, where the deceased had lived continuously for more than half a century.

To this union, one daughter and four sons were born.

On Sept. 10 1939 it was the happy privilege of Mr. and Mrs. Walker to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.

For years the departed had been a member of the Baptist church of Mason City. She was also an active member in Mason City chapter, Order of Eastern Star, and had received every honor except one that a subordinate chapter can bestow upon a member.

Mrs. Walker was a true wife, and mother and a splendid home builder. Her death is not only a blow to the bereaved husband and children, but represents a real loss to the community.

Surviving, besides her husband are one daughter, Leota, now Mrs. Emery Runyan, two sons, Vern of Los. Angeles, Cal., and Gordon of Mason City, her step-mother, Mrs. Melissa Bray, Mason City; two sisters, Mrs. Sadie Jackson, Mason City, and Mrs. Cecelia Scott, Long Beach, Cal.; three brothers, John Bray, Arcadia, Charley Bray, Whiting, Iowa, and Fred Bray, Nogales, Ariz.; two half sisters, Mrs. McBratney, Idaho, and Mrs. Ruby Millen, Kansas City, Mo.; three half brothers, Claude Bray, Gillette, Wyo.; Leonard Bray, Mullen, Nebr., and Marion Bray of Mason City; seven grandchildren numerous other relatives and a host of friends.

She was predeceased in death by two sons, J. Alfred, Aug. 28, 1894, and Clifford, March 28, 1932.

Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at the Mason City Baptist church with Rev. Raymond Hill officiating. Burial was made in the Mason City cemetery.
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Source: Family Papers - Newspaper clipping