I rarely write about current burials in the Chariton Cemetery --- too intrusive in most cases. But this is an exception because a recent interment involves one of the cemetery's most distinctive features, the Copeland-Wischer Mausoleum.
In a related matter, I also can report that a misidentified member of the extended Copeland family, buried just south of the mausoleum --- written about back in 2018 (Two Frank Davises and five lost souls) --- now has been properly identified.
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I knew that Sue Holman Davis (1938-2022), a longtime resident of Ottumwa, had died recently because she left a masterful piece of folk-art carving executed by her father, Dr. David Holman, to St. Andrew's Church. But it hadn't occurred to me that her remains had been interred in the mausoleum until, when visiting over the weekend with City Manager Laura Legois, Laura mentioned the complications of opening the mausoleum, locked securely for many years, and preparing it for an interment.
The mausoleum was commissioned shortly after the May 3, 1910, death of Sue's great-grandfather, Howard Darlington Copeland --- a major Chariton mover and shaker --- at the age of 56. The Copelands had deep pockets and their mausoleum reflects this. You'll find H.D. Copeland's obituary here.
The name "Whicher" is embedded in granite above the entry door to identify it as the burial place, too, of H.D. Copeland's only daughter and son-in-law, Sue Darlington (Copeland) and Charles Whicher.
Carrie Eugenia (Custer) Copeland, widow of H.D., died on April 6, 1920, and her remains joined his in the mausoleum.
The next family member entombed here was Dr. Charles Maples Whicher, who was a prominent Des Moines physician and who died of a heart attack on July 28, 1930, age 60. The Whichers had no children.
Sue Darlington (Copeland) Whicher died, also in Des Moines, on Oct. 11, 1942, and became the fourth family member entombed in the mausoleum.
The fifth entombment here was that of Howard Custer Copeland, only son of Howard D. and Carrie, who died on June 15, 1950.
His widow, Edith Clare (Larimer) Copeland, survived until March 4, 1978, but she had an aversion to the mausoleum and chose to be buried in a more traditional manner with her parents just to the southwest. So one of the six available crypts in the mausoleum remained unoccupied for more than 70 years.
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Howard C. and Edith Copeland had one daughter, Harriett, who married Dr. David O. Holman, and their remains had been until this summer the last to be placed in the vault. Dr. Holman died in 1993 and Harriett (Copeland) Holman, during 2003. Their ashes rest on a marble shelf under the stained glass window on the mausoleum's west wall.
The Holmans were longtime residents of Ottumwa who, upon retirement, moved to Chariton to make their home with her mother, Edith, in the Larimer-Copeland home at the intersection of East Auburn Avenue and North 5th Street. They continued to occupy the family home for several years after Edith's death, but eventually sold it and moved elsewhere.
David and Harriett Holman had two children, David Jr. --- an artist based in Loveland, Colorado, who died during 2014 --- and Sue, who married Frank Crowley Davis and had made her home in Ottumwa for many years.
Frank Davis died during 1982 at the age of 50 and was buried just south of the mausoleum although a tombstone was not erected on his grave until this summer. The lack of a tombstone had caused as the years passed considerable confusion about who exactly was buried there. That situation has been resolved with a GI tombstone commemorating his Korean War service.
Here is Sue Holman Davis's obituary as it appeared on the web site of Ottumwa's Reece Funeral Home earlier this summer:
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Sue H. Davis, 84, of Ottumwa, died at 1:30 a.m. July 10, 2022, at Serenity Hospice House in Oskaloosa.
She was born January 17, 1938, in Nora Springs, IA, to Dr. David and Harriet Copeland Holman. Sue married Frank Davis and he preceded her in death on August 8, 1982.
Sue was a graduate of Springfield High School in Springfield, IL, and earned a degree in Biology from Goucher College in Baltimore, MD. She received technology training from the Charity Hospital in New Orleans, LA. Sue worked at Ottumwa Regional Health Center and St. Joseph’s Hospital for 55 years.
She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, D.A.R. and P.E.O.
Surviving is her son, Rob (Jennifer) Davis of Tuscaloosa, AL; sister-in-law, Betty Wilder of Pell City, AL; nieces, Cynthia (Gaston) Williamson and Kristen Holman; nephew, Norman Wilder; many great-nieces and great-nephews.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Dave Holman.
Funeral services will be noon, Monday, July 25th at Trinity Episcopal Church. Her family will be present at the church one hour prior to the service to greet friends Burial will be in the Chariton Cemetery in Chariton, IA.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church.
The family would like to extend special appreciation to Lisa Vanderhyde, Willis Hill and Lu Ann Frisch.
Reece Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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And here is Dave Holman's obituary as it appeared on the web site of Loveland's Goes Funeral Home during 2014. I do not know his place of interment if, indeed, there is one.
Dave Holman of Loveland, Colorado, passed away peacefully at his home studio Tuesday night, July 29, 2014, surrounded by loving family and friends.
Dave was born in Rockford, Illinois. and grew up in Ottumwa, Iowa. He attended Ottumwa High School where he excelled in numerous sports activities including swimming, football, basketball and track and field. He set a record in high jump that remained undefeated until recently. He graduated in 1962. Following high school, He attended several colleges including Exeter, Ohio State, Simpson, Parsons and Monterrey Institute of Foreign Studies between the years of 1962 to 1972. He studied German language and literature and received his masters degree and bachelors of art in German studies and minored in French from the Monterrey Institute.
In 1971, he went to Europe and taught required English to junior high and high school level students at Friedrich Paulsen Schule in Niebull, Germany until 1973. Upon his return to the states, he attended Indian Hills Community College where he studied and earned an AA degree in electronic technology in 1975.
Dave’s true calling in the art world commenced in the 80’s when he was accepted in 1981 to the Atelier Prohl in Minneapolis, MN. He studied art in the Classical Realism tradition here where he learned to draw and paint the figure and portraiture fundamentals until 1984. Throughout his training, he participated in evening classes and portraiture and figure sessions, always honing his skills and talents as a fine artist.
After a brief period of working as a German interpreter and translator for the Forestry Service from 1987- 1989, Dave made the choice to focus his efforts in pursuing his dream of painting, drawing and becoming the best artist he could be. He worked tirelessly at his craft, traveled the southwest showing and selling his work and taught classes in portraiture. He won numerous awards and participated in art events in and around his hometown of Loveland. Those individuals fortunate enough to have created art with him will never forget his kind and patient manner and his passionate love of color, shape and line.
He is preceded in death by Dr. and Mrs. David Odgers Holman, and his grandmother, Edith Copeland, of Sheraton, Iowa. He is survived by loving daughter, Kristin Elisabeth Eve Holman of Loveland, and his sister, Sue Davis of Ottumwa, Iowa, as well as Rob Davis, nephew, and Jennifer Goode Davis of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
A memorial celebration of his life is scheduled for August 23rd, 9:30 am at Sunrise Ranch in Dome Chapel, followed by a reception. He is also Artist of the Month at the Loveland Visitor Center for the month of August.
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