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Grand Rapids Press
Friday, 11 February, 1949

         Death Claims Industrialist
         
         O. B. WILMARTH, 87, Was Schubert Cofounder
         
         OSCAR B. WILMARTH, 87, Grand Rapids native who started
       his unusual career as a train dispatcher and who retired
       as treasurer of the Grand Rapids Store Equipment Co. in
       1931, died Thursday night at his home at 29 Baltimore dr.,
       NE.
       
         He was the only surviving charter member of the Schubert
       club, local male chorus established 66 years ago. Always
       interested in the city's musical affairs, he was for two
       years president of the Schubert club and had sung in 
       several church choirs.
       
         An amateur coin collector, he had a specimen of nearly
       every 1-cent piece coined by the United States since 1793.
       He was a mamber of York lodge, No. 410, F&AM, and was one
       of the oldest attendants of First Methodist Church..
       
         Lived at Stanton
         Born April 28, 1861, when Grand Rapids had only 8,000
       inhabitants, he attended high school two years and then
       for a year was train dispatcher for the old GR&I rail-
       road on the Grand Rapids - Petoskey run. He returned to
       high school for a year and then moved to Stanton with
       his parents, being baggage master there 18 months.
       
         On his return here, he became associated with the
       Grand Rapids Felt Boot Co., where for various periods
       he was timekeeper, treasurer and superintendent. In 
       1890 he became manager and treasurer of the Grand Rapids
       Hand Screw Co., and in 1909 when the name was changed to
       the WILMARTH Show Case Co., he became treasurer, secre-
       tary and general manager. 
       
         Continued as Treasurer.
         After the firm was merged with the Welch Manufacturing
       Co. and was known as the Welch-WILMARTH Co., he was
       treasurer. He retained that office when the company
       merged with the Grand Rapids Showcase Co. and was known
       as the Grand Rapids Store Equipment Co.
       
         He married CAROLYN COYE in 1890. She died in 1930. In
       1933 he married the former WINONA F. PRATT, who survives
       him.
       
         Surviving, besides his wife, are a daughter, MRS. C.
       HARLEY BERTSCH of Grand Rapids; a son, DONALD of Elm-
       hurst, Ill; eight grandchildren and eight great-grand-
       children. He was a brother of L. T. WILMARTH, operator
       of the former WILMARTH-MORMAN Co. here who died in 1943.
       
         The body is at the residence where funeral services
       will be conducted at 3 p.m. Monday by Rev. King D. Beach
       of Jackson, former pastor of First Methodist church in
       the absence of Dr. Lester A. Kilpatrick, present pastor.
       Burial will be in Oak Hill cemetery.
       
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