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IIAlderman W. H. Raper Passes AwayGreat Loss to City and District —Was Kelowna’s First MayorIn the death of Alderman U. W. Ray-mor, which took place thin morning shortly bef0re 8 o'clock, after a lingering illness, Kelowna loses onlt;j of its most highly respected and useful citizens. Ever since his coming to Kel. owna some twenty-three years ago, for | he w’as one of the city’s old-timers, ho ■ has been active in all public affairs, and at one time or another has held almost every important offioe in the city. To his enterprise and publicspiritedness can- be directly traced many of the privileges which the city now enjoys. It is characteristic of the man that death finds him still in harness as a member of the city council.Though failing in heulth for the oast year or two, his strong constitution has enabled him to fight of? recurring attacks of sickness. Some seven or eight weeks ago, however ho caught a chill which br0ught on a severe ' attack of asthma. Other complications arose, and little hope was entertained of his recovery.Deceased was born in 1853 a.t Wal-singham, Norfolk County, Ontario, but his boyhood and school days were passed in the town of Woodstock. As a young man he went to Shoal Lake, Manitoba, where he enguged in Contracting, and farming, and later moved to Lethbridge, coming to Kelowna in 1892, or perhaps oiie should say to whore Kolowns subsequently was, ani as a contractor has since been responsible for the erection of most of the important buildings. The Agricultural Association found in him one of its most enthusiastic supporters, and he has filled the position of president on several occasions. He has „also been president of the Farmers’ Institute and other organizations.When Kelowna wgs incorporated as a city some ten years ago he was thofirst to be elected mayor and he has sat on the city council for several terms. He has been a .Justice of Peace for nvan.v years end has served on the License Board and as a Police Commissioner, no has always been an ardent supporter of the Conservative cause, though in 1900 he ran unsuccessfully as a candidate for East Yale as an independent. Only a few days ago he wns rc-oleoted honorary president of the Kelowna Conservative Associatiun. He was a member of the Mnsonic fraternity, as well as a prominent figure in the loc-al Lodge of Knights of Pythias and Woodmen of the World.And not only in its more serious un dertukings has Kelowna been indebted to Mr. Raymer, but also for its amusements, for he it was • who built tho first Opera House, later replaced by tho present structure.Ho leaves a family of three sons and six daughters, having been inarri«d in 1879 to Miss Mary Halidav of Halt, Ont., who survives him. One of his sons is now fighting in. the trenches and another is with the forces hero.It would take a long list indeed to nuntion all the movements and local enterprises with which Mr. Raymer has been identified during his long residence here, and by hosts of friends in all pnrts of the valley he will be missed as few men are.The funeral has lreen arranged for Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock, service to lie held in tho Presbyterian church.O
Newspaper Details
Kelowna Record
Kelowna, British Columbia, CA
Thu, Apr 06, 1916
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Deanna N.
AL, USA 19 Mar 2021
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