Gifford, Mary (Munger) 1856 - 1932

GIFFORD, MUNGER, GLAZIER, WHITE, NUS, FLAVIN, PERRY, HINCH, ARMSTRONG, WOODSON

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 10/22/2018 at 11:13:20

Clayton County Register, Thur., 20 Oct. 1932.

Mary Munger Gifford, daughter of Milo Enos and Jane Glazier Munger, was born March 1, 1856, in Conneautville, Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and was one of 10 children. She came west with her paternal family at the age of 11 years and settled in Read township, Clayton county, Iowa. It was here she spent her girlhood days.

She was united in marriage on Jan. 9, 1877, to Edmond Corey Gifford, who was a son of Rev. Henry and Lucetta Gifford, pioneers of that locality.

To this happy union four children were born who survive and were with their mother during her last illness.

The early part of her married life was spent on a farm in Read township, later moving to Elkader to better educate their children. She was bereft of her husband on December 22, 1908. After his death she spent a few years at Farmersburg, Austin, Minn., and about six years ago purchased the home in Arlington, where she spent many happy days. A goodly portion of her time during later life has been spent in the homes of her daughters, and much of the time in late years, when in this community, she has spent with her dearly beloved niece, Mrs. Nellie White Nus, although she spent the winter months among her daughters.

She was dearly beloved and honored member of Aldebaran Chapter No. 529, the Order of the Eastern Star, which organization had a part at the funeral services in accordance with her wishes.

During the years she spent in Arlington and community, where so many met her, and in Knowing her learned to love this fine mother. She never complained, always appreciated every act of Kindness and imparted some of that fineness of her own admirableness to all with whom she came in contact. The ones who were wont to call at ev'n tide, and the ones who watched for her light to be dimmed to know that she was at rest; friends with whom she shared heartaches as her own; the neighbors and the children she loved, all miss her and are grateful to a kind Providence for her love and friendship. She loved her flowers and it seems yet she must be there among them reading their language as messages from God.

Mrs. Gifford suffered a paralytic stroke late in the evening of Saturday, Oct. 8th, and died Saturday, Oct. 15th, 1932, in the early morning hours, aged 76 years, seven months and 14 days. She leaves to mourn her four dearly beloved daughters who are, Mrs. Lucetta Flavin, Austin, Minn., Edwyna Perry, Austin, Minn., Adelle Hinsch, McGregor and Ruth Armstrong, Windsor, Ill.; 12 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren. Two brothers and a sister survive; S. R. Munger, Lincoln, Nebr., M. E. Munger, Elkader, and Mrs. Carrie Woodson, Arlington, besides many other relatives and friends

Funeral services were held from the Christian church in Arlington Monday afternoon, Rev. Louis B. Smith of that church having charge of the services both at the church and cemetery.

The body was laid to rest in the family lot beside her husband in the East Side cemetery in Elkader, near the Congregational church she had attended so often. At the grave a large concourse of Elkader friends gathered to pay their last respects to their beloved friend and speak words of comfort to those that mourn.