Phillips, Earl P. 1882 - 1915

PHILLIPS, SURFUS, CULBERTSON

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 7/24/2022 at 12:05:58

Register and Argus, 25 Mar. 1915.

Earl P. Phillips was born on what the family always referred to as the "old Farm," near Volga City, Iowa, on Nov. 11th, 1882, and died at his home in Nevada, Iowa, Thursday night, March 18th, 1915, aged 32 years, 4 months and 7 days. Earl spent his boyhood days in the neighborhood of his birth and received his education at the Volga City High School. In 1899 the folks sold the farm and the next year Earl, with his parents, moved to Arlington, Iowa, where he grew to young manhood and learned the barber trade, and for several years ran a shop of his own.

Feb. 7, 1910, he was united in marriage to Maud Surfus, of Charles City, Iowa. To this happy union was born one son, Clifford Allen, now four years old.

Earl was a careful and painstaking mechanic and his brother, having established a furnace factory at Nevada, Iowa, secured a position for him as foreman in one of the departments, and in April, 1914, he, with his little family, moved to Nevada, where he has since held the position mentioned.

It was the wish of his older brother that some day he could so establish himself that he could have Earl associated with him in business and be an aid and companion, but just when their mutual life wish seemed realized, God, our Heavenly Father, in His infinite wisdom, planned it different.

Although Earl had never united with any denominational church, he was raised in a Christian home by a praying mother and was a God-fearing young man and led a Christian life. Before he passed away he invited a minister to his bedside for prayer, and to him expressed the belief that he had made his peace with the Lord and was ready to meet his God. After he was placed on the operating table for the serious operation which he understood for his fight for life said "That Jesus appeared to him and beckoned him to Heaven."

About seven years ago Earl had a serious complicated trouble of the bowels and since that time he has been a tried but patient sufferer, always saying he was all right but finally getting so serious that he was compelled to cease work and then consented to an operation. His death was pronounced as paralysis of the bowels which seemed to have been brought on by his old trouble and perhaps hastened by the operation. He leaves surviving him his wife and son, father and mother, who for the present are making their home with their children, also a sister, Mrs. Minnie Culbertson, of Greeley, Iowa, and his brother, L_on P. Phillips, of Nevada, Iowa, and many other relatives of Volga City, with a host of friends to mourn their loss.

The remains were brought to Volga and the funeral services were held in the M.E. church, conducted by Walter Piper, the pastor. The floral offerings were many and beautiful, as tributes of love and appreciation from his loved ones and friends. All that was mortal of our brother was laid away to rest in our beautiful cemetery on the hill to await the resurrection morn.

"Asleep in Jesus' Blessed sleep,
From which none ever wakes to weep."

(A card of thanks was signed: Mrs. Earl P. Phillips and son, Mr. and Mrs. Orrin Phillips, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Culbertson, and Mr. and Mrs. Leon P. Phillips.)