Joyce, I searched the two Kansas City newspapers for an obit for your great-grandmother but could not find one. Because she died in Liberty, her obit was probably published in a Liberty newspaper and I don't have access to that paper. I'd suggest that you post a request on the Clay County Board asking someone to look up her obit for you. I also reviewed the newspapers for a heat wave. There was a heat wave during July and August 1934 and many people died because of it. Here is the temperature on August 10, 1934, the day your great-grandmother died: 12 midnight ...... 94 1 a.m. .............. 92 4 a.m. .............. 89 8 a.m. .............. 91 11 a.m. ............102 1 p.m. ..............106 2 p.m. ..............107 3 p.m. ..............108 4 p.m. ..............109 One news article said: "this has been the hottest summer by far in weather bureau history here and in may other parts of the middle West." On July 20, 1934, the temperature ranged from 84 to 108 degrees. John Kansas City, MO ----- Original Message ----- From: "roger.joyce lawrence" <rjl@fone.net> To: <KansasCity-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 8:10 AM Subject: [KansasCity] 1934 Greater KCMO Heat Wave > My great grandmother Mary Elizabeth (BEDELL) CAMPBELL SALTAR was a resident > of the Odd Fellows (IOOF) Home in Liberty, Clay Co MO, in the summer of > 1934. Her last letter to her son told of deaths at the home due to the heat. > She succumbed a month later, August 10, 1934, cause "senility and heat > prostration." Does anyone have information about this 1934 heat wave and how > many lives were lost? Thanks in advance for any leads. Joyce, Dolores CO, > rjl@fone.net >

BEDELL, CAMPBELL, SALTAR, BROCKMAN, KELLAR, LOVETT, JACKSON John, thank you so much for the heat wave information and temperatures--and most especially on the day Mary SALTAR died! It is long lost personal information such as this that makes compiling family history so much more fulfilling, and your assistance is really appreciated. I found the letter Mary E. (BEDELL) CAMPBELL SALTAR wrote to her son Joe B. CAMPBELL in KCMO on July 12, 1934 and here is the part about deaths at the Odd Fellows (IOOF) Home in Liberty, where she spent her last days: ".....It sure has been hot here. I have felt it very much. Everything is burning up here, too; and it seems to be everywhere. We will have no vegetables to speak of this winter; the hot, dry weather has burned the gardens up. This hot weather has been very hard on old people. We have had six deaths within a month. Mr. BROCKMAN and Mrs. KELLAR...Mrs. LOVETT, Miss JACKSON...and two other old gentlemen whose names I do not remember." Mary SALTAR died August 10, 1934 and is buried at the Odd Fellows (IOOF) Cemetery in Liberty, Clay Co MO. Joyce Lawrence, Dolores CO rjl@fone.net