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Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ============================================================================= Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. ============================================================================= Grand Rapids Press Wednesday, 4 August, 1943 Death Takes City Leader L. T. WILMARTH Active in Church, Business, Civic Circles LEWIS THEODORE WILMARTH, 84, native and lifelong resident of Grand Rapids and long a leader in the city's philanthropic agencies, died Wednesday morn- ing at his home, 540 Cherry-st., S.E., following an illness of several months. MR. WILMARTH as a young man established the founda- tions of a substantial fortune in the Grand Rapids Cycle Co., which he established in 1889 and operated through the height of the bicycle's enormous popular- ity in the 1890's and the early years of this century before it was merged with the American Bicycle Co. Active Churchman With his brother, OSCAR B., he was a founder of the WILMARTH Show Case Co., which later became the Grand Rapids Store Equipment Co. with which he was actively connected until his retirement several years ago. He was one of the founders of the WILMARTH-MORMAN Co., and an organizer and early executive of the American Paper Box Co., now the American Box Board Co. MR. WILMARTH was long active in the affairs of the Methodist church in Grand Rapids and in Michigan. He was president emeritus of the board of trustees of First Methodist church, of which he had been a mem- ber for many years; a founding member of the Metho- dist Foundation of Michigan, of which he was vice president in 1926, and a trustee of Albion college. He was the longest-serving director of the Grand Rapids YMCA, and had served as president of the or- ganization here. In the years of the first World war he was active in the Red Cross and in Liberty loan drives. Funeral to be Friday He is survived by his brother, OSCAR B. WILMARTH, and two nephews, ALBERT L. WILMARTH of Grand Rapids, and DONALD G. of Elmhurst, Ill, and three nieces, MRS. C. HARLEY BERTSCH, MRS. H. P. DIX nand MRS. WILLIAM D. STEELE, all of Grand Rapids. His wife, the former LAVINA B. NORTHRUP, died several years ago. The body will remain at the Greenhoe mortuary until 10 a.m. Friday and then be taken to the residence, where funeral services will be held at 2:30, Rev. Lester A. Kilpatrick of First Methodist church offici- ating. Burial will be in Oak Hill cemetery. Bearers will be ALBERT L. WILMARTH, DONALD WILMARTH, HAROLD C. WILMARTH, HORACE P. DIX, WILLIAM B. STEELE and C. HARLEY BERTSCH. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (from page 2) LEWIS THEODORE WILMARTH, who died Wednesday, was born in Grand Rapids June 14, 1859, the son of OSCAR R. and ADA BROWN WILMARTH, who came to the city in 1857 from Marshall, where they had settled after leaving their native New York state. The elder WILMARTH was in the general merchandising business here with L. E. PATTON at Monroe-av. and Pearl-st., the Grab Corners of that day. The first family home here was in the Squire Henry house, which stood on the present site of The Press building. Early Firm Prospered. MR. WILMARTH was educated in the public schools here and later in the Swensberg Commercial college. In 1878 he accompanied his father to Stanton and was associated with him in the lumber business there. Later he went to Big Rapids to take charge of ths shingle and lumber mill of HOLBROOK, WILMARTH & Co., returning to Grand Rapids after several years to establish the bicycle manufactur- ing concern which had such a phenomenal growth, reaching a peak pay roll of 250 workers. After the merger of the Grand Rapids Cycle Co. with the American Bicycle Co., he was associated with SAMUEL A. MORMAN, purchasing a machinery business at Kalamazoo and moving the plant to Grand Rapids. As one of the founders of the Charity Organization society, which later became the Social Welfare society, a forerunner of present-day social agencies, he was instrumental in establishment of one of the early sum- mer camps for underprivileged children. GOV. WOODBRIDGE N. FERRIS appointed him chairman of a committee to in- vestigate and report on social conditions in the state. It was as a result of the work of this committee that the state legislature enacted a housing law and the city of Grand Rapids adopted a housing ordinance. Benefactor of Albion. Dr. JOHN L. SEATON, president of Albion college for 19 years, a period including most of MR. WILMARTH'S service as a member of the college board of trustees, expressed a deep sense of personal loss at MR. WIL- MARTH'S passing. In a message to the family, forwarded through HOWARD C. LAWRENCE of Grand Rapids, president of the board, he recalled that MR. WILMARTH had been "always deeply interested in all phases of the college work but gave special attention to the business admini- stration of the school. Through the years Mr. and Mrs. WILMARTH have been generous not only of their time but with financial gifts as well." Gifts to the college by Mr. and Mrs. WILMARTH totaled more than $125,000, LAWRENCE disclosed Wednesday. They included the WILMARTH scholarship fund, the WILMARTH endowment fund and the WILMARTH retirement fund for the faculty, as well as numerous special gifts. MRS. WILMARTH made a special bequest to the college in her will. About 25 years ago MR. WILMARTH bought the white colonial house at the southeast corner of Cherry-st. and Paris-av, and he took pride in maintenance of the house and its spacious grounds in the years of his re- tirement from active business participation. ===============================================================================