Beatrice Keith Bickham
(Mrs. Edward Doss Bickham)
Beatrice Keith Bickham,83, widow of the late Doss Bickham, pioneer retail merchant of Celeste, died at 8:00 AM Monday, December 1, 1952, in a Greenville hospital. She had been in failing health for several weeks and on Saturday was removed from her home in Celeste to the hospital for medical treatment.
Funeral services were held at the Celeste Methodist Church at 2:00 PM Tuesday, December 2, 1952. Dr. W. Harrison Baker of Dallas and the Rev. Dick Lear, Celeste Methodist pastor, officiated at the services. Burial was made in Forest Park Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Egbert McNatt, Monroe Passons, Charles Dupre, Charles Luna, Pete Hudson, and Lloyd Press.
Born in Cross Timber community, near Cumby, Texas, on March 25, 1869, Mrs. Bickham was the daughter of J. M. Keith and Sarah Frances Watson Keith. Her parents moved to Celeste. She was married to Edward Doss Bickham on Thanksgiving Day sixty-four years ago. After her husband's death on March 14, 1944, she continued to reside at the family home in Celeste except for the short intervals in the home of a daughter, Mrs. E. D. Barlow, Greenville.
The love of her home and loyalty to her children and friends distinguished the life of Mrs. Bickham. Courage of convictions was another of her fine traits of character. It has been pointed out that her warm understanding heart brought to her a host of loving and admiring friends. She had been a member of the Celeste Methodist Church since early life.
Surviving are two sons, Jacque Bickham of Celeste and B. P. Bickham of Commerce; two daughters, Mrs. E. D. Barlow of Greenville and Mrs. Hugh Lester of Beaumont; two grandchildren, Edwin D. Barlow of Greenville and Ben Bickham of Commerce; one great-grandchild, Kathleen Barlow of Greenville; one brother, J. N. Keith of Austin; three sisters, Mrs. Anna Bickham of Fort Worth, Mrs. R. N. Hagler of Clovis, New Mexico, and Mrs. Berta Cobb of Celeste; and other relatives.
A son, William Hesa Bickham, preceded her in death on September 20, 1952.
(December 5, 1952, The Celeste Courier)
Submitted by Sarah Swindell
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