the first one I picked up was Grundy County's Fallen Heroes of World War II
was just skimming the biographies of 79 soldiers who died during the war...
Cpl. Lewis F. Findley
Lewis F. Findley was born near Gallatin in 1923, the son of MR. and Mrs. Arch Findley. His mother died when he was a small child, and his father would have taken him to an orphan's home, but his grandparents wished to care for him, so Lewis made his home with Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Findley. The family moved to Trenton in 1931.
He attended Trenton public schools. On July 3, 1934, his father committed suicide, but before he killed himself, he had given his son a fountain pen to sell, to buy fireworks, and some coins to "go to the show." The 11-year-old boy took the pen to Mr. W.E. Pennell and asked if he bought pens. He was asked where he had gotten it, and the boy began to cry. He said his father had given it to him and said he "would have no more need for it." Mr. Pennell told the boy he should not sell his father's pen, so Lewis left the Pennell Jewelry Store in tears. While he was at the picture show, where his dad had said to go, his father shot and killed Bertha Hobbs, a former girlfriend, then walked to a patch of weeds near the Rock Island paint shop where he shot himself.
Alphus Luis Findley, Lewis' grandfather died on September 17, 1937, following an extended illness of cancer.
Lewis enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 1940, age of 17, and was stationed with the Artillery Corps on Corregidor on the Philippine Islands when the island was captured by the Japanese in May 1942, and he became a war prisoner.
On January 26, 1943, his grandmother, Myrtle Irene (Van Dyke) Findley, died at her home in Trenton.
On October 24, 1944. Cpl. Findley was on a Japanese ship taking 1,775 prisoners from the Philippines when it was sunk by submarine action in the South China Sea, over 200 miles from the Chinese coast, the nearest land. All but five of the 1,775 Americans aboard the vessel perished.
He was survived by three uncles, Joe, Paul, and William Findley of Trenton; and an aunt, Mr. Earl Poston of Winston.
so: I did a google search. and this is what I found.
July 3, 1934
The Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune from Chillicothe, Missouri · Page 1
Tuesday, July 3, 1934 Page 1
Trenton Divorcee Killed Last Night Mrs. Bertha Hobbs, 46, Shot to Death in Her Home; Seek Trenton Man For Questioning-. Archie Finley, 32, who is wanted at Trenton for questioning in connection with the slaying Monday night of Mrs. Bertha Hobbs, 46, a divorcee, has successfully eluded the officers, according to word reaching here late this afternoon. Finley, it is alleged, has been frequently in the company of Mrs. Hobbs. It is alleged they quarreled recently. It is alleged a man appeared at the home of Mrs. Hobbs, thrust a shotgun through a screen door and fired once, killing Mrs. Hobbs. Mrs. Fannie McKay, who lives in the house with Mrs. Hobbs, was upstairs and did not see the shooting.
