WEART, MRS. Mae - 1914

WEART, MAXWELL, SHERMAN

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/7/2009 at 02:11:23

HISTORY OF
Cherokee County
IOWA
VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
1914
by Thomas McCulla

MRS. MAE WEART.

In all the history of Cherokee there have been few deaths as deeply and widely deplored as that of Mrs. Mae Weart. Hers was an ideal character and throughout the years of her girlhood and young womanhood she shed around her much of lifes sunshine. She was born in 1877, of the marriage of Edward and Carrie (Maxwell) Williams. Following the death of her father the mother became the wife of Dr. James Augustus Sherman, whose sketch is given above, and Mrs. Weart was reared as a daughter in the Sherman household. For six years she was a most popular teacher in the public schools of Cherokee and she was also a noted vocalist. On the 25th of December, 1900, she became the wife of Irving Weart and on the 11th of January, 1907, she passed away, leaving a little son, Spencer, who was born October 12, 1906.

In the funeral services the minister took as his text, "She hath done what she could," saying: "This short and simple statement marks the strong outlines of our much beloved sister, Mrs. Mae Weart. The work of this gentle, modest

woman is immeasurable. Her thoughtfulness and beautiful womanly services, vol. n—s

rendered in the name of her Master, will ever be as a memorial of her true womanly devotion. Her very best touched her whole surroundings, her home, her relations, her church, her school, her neighbors and her community; and all enjoy the sweet fragrance of the costly ointment of a pure life which she earned with great selfforgetfulness. She did what she could to make the burdens of others lighter; to pour a little sunshine into the places where darkness was most; to add cheer and smiles where there was little laughter; to soothe and comfort where hearts were lonely; and then trip away quite unconscious that she had done anything. She seemed like one born to bless. She came like a heavenly benediction to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Williams and she was the joy of her fond, indulgent mother, Mrs. Sherman, from her sweet babyhood to lovely womanhood. And she was no less a blessing to her fond, devoted husband, who was privileged to keep her for only too less than his heart could wish. And such she was to her relatives, who watched over her with such tenderness and love through the long painful weeks of her sickness; and such was she to her church, the school and the community—a blessing. She was verily 'a brand plucked from the burning, and God raised her up to be a joy to all who knew her and an advocate of the beautiful graces of the spirit of gentleness, meekness, patience and goodness. She was born in Afton township, Cherokee county, in 1877, and her early years, knowledge of them and blessings which later came to her gave her a large heart, a kind spirit, a gentle thoughtfulness that made it so easy for her to serve others with gladness as others had served her as by an angels hands. One cannot conceive of her as unkind and thoughtless to the measure of marring the pleasure of others. She could not display an arbitrary spirit for she had none. She could exhibit only a desire to gratify the desires of others. Her best service to Christ was given, like all great service, to those about her. Her best to Christ pervaded the community with cheer and brightness that made one think of her Master and Lord. Her frank and openhearted genuineness disarmed all suspicion, won and held our confidence immovable. She did not play a part of duty, love and service; she could not affect a position which she did not feel. She held no mask before her heart and life. She needed none. She was a woman of true genuine worth, and those who knew her best loved her most. She had a true nobility of character. She was a genuine Christian woman. She was converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal church when she was ten years of age, and was always an active worker, a member of the choir for years, always joyfully responding to every call of duty. As a soloist of her church her renderings were among the chief attractions of the services, as there was such a sweetness and pathos in her voice and a richness in her soul. She was in every quality of her soul a Christian; a Christian realizing more than most of the disciples of the blessed Christ do, what it means to be a Christian. She was so gentle, so kind, so girlish in the purity of her heart and womanly in the fulness of her sympathies; and so strong and manly in the tenacity of her convictions that right was always right and wrong was never right, that it made her a steady light in the world to light the way to the Lamb of God.

"Mrs. Weart possessed a bright intellect. Her mind was keen. She was trained in our public schools and graduated in March, 1895, after which she spent two years in the Iowa State Normal School, from which she graduated in 1897, and taught in the primary room of our high school for six years. She was fitted for cultured circles. She dwelt with the most perfect ease among the highly educated and companioned with the scholars with comfort. She was equally at home with the less favored and showed the same grace and charm among the poorest of the poor. No child half clad and poorly housed felt out of place in her presence. The children were drawn to her, and she to them, and the young were so impressed by her genuineness, her personal friendliness, the glow in her eye, the light in her face, the charm in her speech, the gentleness of her heart, that they drew toward her. All who knew her admired the genial manner in her presence, her gentleness of spirit, her beautiful purity of character."