Mack, Ellen Betsy 1848-1906

MACK, AYRES, VANWAGONEN

Posted By: Geo Clinton (email)
Date: 5/20/2016 at 11:33:15

Storm Lake Buena Vista Vidette - Feb 9, 1906 - No greater shock has even come to the citizens of Storm Lake than that caused by the news of the death of Mrs E.E. Mack, wife of ex-Senator Mack, Tuesday evening.

Mr and Mrs Mack had been in Des Moines the latter part of last week and had there met their sons, Frank, who is attending college at Ames and Burt, who is at Drake University. Mrs Mack enjoyed the trip immensely and was therefore in the best of spirits.

Tuesday morning she went uptown to do some shopping and remained until half past twelve, when she accompanied Mr Mack home. After dinner the family went about their usual work and about half past three, Mrs Mack phoned to Mr Mack that she was in great pain and wished him to send the doctor down. Mr Mack accompanied the doctor.

Mrs Mack has been suffering for the past two years from diabetes and it is supposed that the attack was caused by this. After the pain was relieved she appeared to be sleeping and Mr Mack went to his office leaving his daughter, Bea, with her mother. Grace and Miss Cora Thomas were in the kitchen. Hardly had her father gone, when Bea noticed her mother gasp. She screamed and Grace and Cora came. They phoned at once for the father and for Mrs Thomas and the doctor but assistance was of no avail, the spirit had fled. Word was sent to the boys and Mrs Van Wagonen and all arrived as quickly as possible.

Ellen B Ayers was born at Goshen, Vermont May 1, 1848 and in 1869 went to Michigan. After staying there a year, she came to Hardin Co, Iowa to the home of her aunt, Mr Mack's mother. When they came to Newell she went to Fort Dodge but the next year came to Newell and conducted a millinery store there for four years. She was industrious and economical and soon saved enough to buy a store building of her own.

In the fall of 1874, her cousin, Edgar E Mack was elected county clerk and in January went to Sioux Rapids then the county seat. There he prepared a home and Sept 13 they were married. They lived in Sioux Rapids until Oct 1878, when the county seat was changed to Storm Lake and Mr and Mrs Mack and their two baby girls, Nellie and Grace, moved here into the house on the lot now occupied by the Leach residence. Here they lived until they built the house in which they now live on Lake Avenue. Four more children were born to them: Guy, Frank, Burt and Bea.

Funeral services were conducted at the home, Thursday afternoon and the body was laid to rest in the Storm Lake cemetery, the first of the family to find a resting place there. Buena Vista college and all of the business houses were closed Thurday afternoon during the funeral services.