Obituary: Union City Evening Times, Tuesday, November 16, 1937 J. S. Clear - Well known East Side former councilman succumbs suddenly. - Had just returned from visit when wife hears him fall.
J. S. Clear, the well known former member of the East Side council and prominent citizen succumbed very suddenly today at his home 602 East Elm street. His health had not been of the best for the past seven years, but he always was able to be up and about. Mr. and Mrs. Clear had just returned from a visit at the country home of their brother-in-law A. Hawkins near Springfield and they arrived home Monday night. They retired at the usual time and this morning Mr. Clear got up and ate his breakfast as usual. He then went out and brought in a bucket of coal. "How do you feel?" he was asked and he answered, "O, pretty good." They were the last words he ever spoke for the next moment Mrs. Clear heard him fall. Going to his aid they got him to a couch and a doctor was called, but when he arrived the patient had passed on. He expired at 15 minutes to 12 o'clock this noon.
Jaremiah Sigel Clear was the son of David and Esther Ross Clear and he was born Feb. 3, 1862 and he attended the Elm Hill school in Darke county near where he was born. He was married Oct. 20, 1888 to Loretta Caskey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Caskey. The couple moved to Union City in 1898 and resided on Sycamore street from where they moved to North street then in 1931 to Elm street, the present home. Mr. Clear was an engineer, but later took up firing in which capacity he was employed at the Long plant, the Waterworks and other places. He was also employed at the South Side filling station. J. S. or "Sig" Clear as he was called by those who knew him well was much interested in civic affairs and served several terms as councilman. He was a fine Christian gentleman and a member of the Carnahan church and later the First Christian church of this city. He was also a member of the D. of A. and Junior Order United American Mechanics. He was a man of fine character, honest and reliable. He had ;many friends who will regret to learn of his death.
Two children born to this union preceded the father to the better world, namely, Mrs. Myrtle Clear Reid, wife of Dr. R. W. Reid who passed away Dec. 19, 1925, and Gerald Clear who died Dec. 9, 1927. Besides the widow he is survived by three nephews, Dr. Clear, Greenville, O., Frank Burch, North Vernon, Virgil Hawkins, south of Springhill. One niece Mrs. Pearl Hartman of near Richmond. The funeral announcement will be made later. (The funeral services were held at the Fraze Funeral Home on Friday at 2 p. m., conducted by Rev. Ben Holroyd. Interment in the Union City Cemetery.)
