Loftus, Kate M. (Nugent) 1857 - 1907

LOFTUS, NUGENT, RATCHFERD, RATCHFORD

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 8/5/2021 at 20:31:24

Elkader Register, Thur., 11 July 1907. Local News columns. From the West Union Argo, undated.

Mrs. William Loftus died at 8:15 Thursday evening, June 27, at the family home in this city. She had been ill over a year with cancer of the breast, and confined to the house since November. Her suffering was borne patiently, in fact she had long been aware of her malady before she informed her family.

Mrs. Loftus' maiden name was Kate M. Nugent. She was born July 8, 1857, at Elkader. She was educated in the Sisters' school at that place, and was married there March 17, 1878, to William Loftus, of West Union, coming here and residing here ever since. She was ambitious and active, teaching both before and after her marriage, a total of 30 (or 80) terms of school in Clayton and Fayette counties. For the past eight years she had been engaged in business.

Of eleven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Loftus, all are living and all has been at her bedside much during her long illness, eight being present at her death, as they are making their home here. The eleven children are: Mrs. Frank Ratchferd (or Ratchford), of Cedar Rapids; Florence E., Laura A., Charles D., of Cedar Rapids; Clarence J., John, of Waterloo; Lucile, Will A., Fred H., Robert G. and Herbert C. Four of her sons, with her brother, Henry Nugent, of Elkader, and her brother-in-law, Thomas Loftus, bore her body to its resting place.

Mrs. Loftus was a lifelong member of the Catholic church. The funeral was held at 10 o'clock Saturday from the church of the Holy Name, requiem high mass being said by Father Regan, Father Galal_ue and Father Farley, of Clermont. Interment was made in the Catholic cemetery. - West Union Argo.