Mrs. Helen Runyon

RUNYON, STAYNER, WILDER

Posted By: Anna Newell (email)
Date: 6/14/2005 at 19:28:02

A Beloved Mother At Rest.
Died, at the home of her son, F. M. Wilder, in Lafayette township, about four miles southwest of this city, Saturday, after a brief illness with pleurisy and bronchitis, Mrs. Helen Runyon, aged 78 years, 5 months, and 28 days.
Deceased's maiden name was Helen Mary Stayner. She was born at Stockton, Ills., but spent the greater part of her life in Franklin County, Iowa. She was married at eighteen to Newton A. Wilder, of Geneva, who died at the age of 42 and beside whom she was laid away yesterday in the old home cemetery at Geneva. Nine children were born of this union, seven of whom, two girls and five boys, survive to mourn the departure of one who was "Mother Mine" to all of them, besides raising a granddaughter, Mrs. Sargent. They are: Elizabeth Benson, Geneva, Iowa; Mrs. Geo. S. Bryan, Minneapolis; Bine, Iowa Falls, Iowa; John, Grand Meadow, Minn.; George, Washington, D. C.; Newton H., Minneapolis and Flavian M., Lansing, Iowa.
Later she married a Civil War veteran named Runyon, who also preceded her in death many years ago.
After funeral services at the home by Rev. N. E. Bottom, of the Federated church, Monday forenoon, the remains were shipped to Hampton, where services were again held and her old home neighbors and friends given a chance to pay their respects to one who in life was an exemplary Christian, true friend and ideal wife and mother.
Source: From the collection of my grandfather, Rev. N. E. Bottom, pastor of the Lansing Federated Church during the 1920s.