Mary (Collison) Staak 1843-1927

STAAK, COLLISON

Posted By: Joe Conroy (email)
Date: 6/19/2010 at 10:38:19

The Carroll Times
Carroll, Iowa
5 Oct 1927
Page 3

Mrs. August Staak,
Respected Carroll Woman Died Oct. 2

Funeral Services Will Be Conducted on Deceased's 84th Birthday.

Mrs. August Staak, mother of Dr. J. F. Staak and J. C. Staak, well known theater man of this city, died at her home Sunday evening at 6 o'clock after being in critical condition for several days. She had been ailing for two months suffering with a dropsical condition.

Mrs. Staak as Mary Collison was born October 5, 1843, in France on the River Seine, and was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Collison. Her father was an English contractor and was doing contract work in France when the little girl was born. When the small daughter was four years old her parents came to America, locating at Ottawa, Ill. It was here she grew to young womanhood and was married December 28, 1867, to August Staak, a young veteran of the Civil war. During the readjustment period following the war they lived in Iroquois, Ill., and in 1875 they moved to this city, which has continued to be the family home.

Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Staak, five of those dying in infancy or as small children. One son, William Staak, died in 1914, another son, Frank Staak, died in 1922. The surviving children are Mrs. Clara Yegge, of Boone; Mrs. Sally Kehrer of Ft. Jones, Calif.; Dr. J. F. Staak and J. C. Staak.

The brick building on North Adams street, the former home of the Staak family, was one of the best residences of an earlier day in Carroll. The house has long been deserted as the business buildings crowded to both its sides, but it was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Staak when the children were small and here she taught them their first lessons in obedience and good citizenship. She had the pleasure of living to see her children become valuable members of the communities where they reside.

Mrs. Staak had the blood of the pioneers in her veins, there was no task too great for her to accomplish. Even in later years she desired to keep her own home and busy herself with its affairs, rather than live with her children, much as they wished her to. When she was first ailing her daughter arrived from California to care for her and remained during her mother's entire illness.

Mrs. Staak was a devout Christian woman and was a member of the St. Joseph church. Since the death of her husband in 1909 she lived rather a retired life but had the interests of her church and its activities always at heart.

Besides her children she is survived by 20 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. She leaves one sister, Mrs. Sarah Edes, of Grand Ridge, Ill., and four brothers, Edward Collison, Frank Collison, Joe Collison of Carroll, and William Collison of Chicago.

Funeral services were held at the St. Joseph church this morning at 9 o'clock and burial was made in the Catholic cemetery.