(Article in the Grandville Avenue Record, February 14, 1913, Pg. 1)

Death of A Pioneer – By the death of Dr. Henry E. Locher the First ward and the city loses a pioneer resident. Dr. Locher died at his late home on Sunday, 219 Bartlett street, after a long illness. Funeral services were held on Tuesday last and the body was taken to Saranac, Mich., for burial on Wenesday, where there the family lot.

Dr. Locher had been a central figure in local affairs for many years and was widely known and prominent in the local medical profession. At the time of his death he was president of the board of health and poor commissioners, a board on which he had served for over five years. He had been unable to attend the board’s meetings since last May.

Dr. Locher was a member of the board of education for 18 years, completing his last term in 1906, when he became a member of the board of health and poor commissioners. He was anardent enthusiast for expansion in the schools. It was largely due to his untiring energies as a member of the building committee that many of the present up-to-date school buildings were planned, built and equipped.

From 1880 to 1888 Dr. Locher served as coroner for Kent county. He also represented his ward in other minor capacities.

Born in Germany, March 29, 1852, Dr. Locher came to America with his parents a few months later. The family took up a home in the forest of Ohio, near Norwalk. A few years later his parents moved to Saranac, where Dr. Locher entered the public schools. Later he graduated from the Long island college at Brooklyn, NY, and then entered the medical profession at Ada, near his home town. In 1880 he located in Grand Rapids.

He was a member of the Grand River lodge, F. & A. M., the Woodmen and the Arbeiters. He leaves a brother, Joseph A. Locher of Saranac, and two sisters, Miss Anna Locher of this city and Mrs. Gertrude Ducksbury of Saranac.

Transcriber: ES
Created: 5 August 2006
URL: http://kent.migenweb.net/obituaries/local/locherh.html