MARSH, Charles Robert 1883-1904

MARSH, KIMBALL, PLUMB

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 11/7/2014 at 21:46:07

[Waterloo Semi Weekly Courier, Tuesday, February 23, 1904, Waterloo, Iowa]

Charles Robert Marsh, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur W. Marsh, who live at 408 South Street, passed away in Chicago yesterday at 11 o'clock, and his remains, accompanied by the family and his uncle, C. A. Marsh, and Harold Plumb, arrived here at 2 o'clock this morning. The cause of death was croupous pneumonia, with which decedent had suffered ten days.

The above is a brief record of the going out of a life which was the idol of the parents' hearts and which promised rich unfolding in the future years.

Robbie Marsh, as he was called, was born in Barclay Township, Black Hawk County. Iowa, Sept. 12, 1883, and moved with his parents to this city in October, 1897. He was in his 21st year, just on the threshold of life's larger sphere.

Of unusual precocity, Robert was naturally of a studious bent of mind; was fond of reading, pursued the course of culture with unconcealed pleasure and was a witty and eloquent debater in public school and college literary clubs. His early education was secured in the Jesup school. Coming to Waterloo, he attended the West Side Public Schools and his talents fit nicely into the stronger and fuller curriculum. He graduated from the high school in 1901. The next year was spent at Morgan park Preparatory School, where he graduated in one years, after which he went to Michigan University at Ann Arbor. He was finishing his second year in this eminent institution when the deadly pneumonia seized him.

The story of the illness of the deceased is quite familiar already to readers of this paper. On Friday, Feb. 12, while attending the automobile show in Chicago with his father, the young man was taken with a severe chill. He was taken to his room immediately where croupous pneumonia of a peculiarly acute form manifested itself. By previous arrangement Robert had come to Chicago to meet his folks for a week's outing. His mother and sister, Miriam, and his father were there to meet and greet him, and each member of the, family felt delighted in the prospect of a glad reunion at this halfway house. And so, from the first, the mother and the rest of the family were with the patient to give him all the attentions which he could have received if sick at home, but in spite of the best that the ablest physicians could do and in spite of the most skilled nursing, the young man gradually grew worse. Last Thursday he became unconscious and with the exception of a few lucid moments when he recognized his mother and father, he remained unconscious till the last.

The relatives have kept their Waterloo friends informed of the progress of the disease, and the expressions of sympathy for the parents and other relatives have been numerous and of the most sincere sort.

The uncles of the deceased, C. A. Marsh and Harold Plumb, went to Chicago as soon as the young man's condition was considered serious and remained there until the end, accompanying the remains home.

Robert Marsh was a young man of strong personality and of attractive manners. He was of an even disposition, always cheery and abiding on the sunshiny side of life. His many friends in this city who have known Robert at his full worth, have been delighted in his genial social atmosphere, have laughed over his droll sayings, have felt proud of his mental attainments. Now that his warm heart, this active brain and this wholesome and helpful companion has been cut down in the very opening of the maturity of life the sorrow and grief of his former school mates and acquaintances is heavy to bear. The parents are bearing up well under their grief, and their friends and neighbors are doing what they can to ameliorate their condition.

The funeral services will be held from the home at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Rev. Samuel Callen of Presbyterian Church officiating.

The father of decedent is president of the Iowa Dairy Separator Co. and president of the Iowa State Manufacturers' Association. Fred L. Kimball of the Creamery Journal is an uncle. Besides these relatives an aunt, Miss Lucy Kimball of Sioux City, and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Kimball, of Jesup survive.

The mother of the young man is a very intelligent lady and the father has exceptional talents of an executive and administrative nature. Robert possessed the qualities of both of these, and if life had been spared and health vouchsafed him he would have been an honor and a credit to the intellectual and business world.