MARY ESTHER (FASSETT) LEE

FASSETT, LEE, TURNER, PERKINS, SMITH, PEASLEY

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 8/3/2002 at 15:12:05

Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa
Thursday, May l, l924

MRS. MARY ESTHER LEE, pioneer settler of Decatur County, passed to her rest at the home of her daughter, MRS. H.E. PERKINS, 807 West Boston Avenue, Indianola, Iowa, Wednesday, April l6, l924, after an illness of many months.

MARY ESTHER FASSETT, daughter of MR. and MRS. JOSEPH FASSETT, was born near LaMoille, Ill., December 7, l837. She spent her youth in that vicinity, and on April 20, l856, was united in marriage to JOHN LEE. In l868 they came to Decatur County, Iowa, where they made their home until the death of MR. LEE, May l9, l902. Since then she has made her home with her children.

MR. and MRS. LEE were the parents of six children: MRS. J.W. TURNER and JOHN LEE, deceased; MRS. W.W. PEASLEY, of Marshalltown; W.E. LEE, of Davis City; MRS. C.F. SMITH, of Lamoni, and MRS. H.E. PERKINS, of Indianola. Besides her children, she also leaves ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren to mourn her departure.

In early life she was converted and united with the Baptist Church, but later, having moved to a town where there was no church of that denomination, she transferred her membership to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which she has been a consistent member ever since.

For several years she has been quite feeble, and during the last few months of her life she was almost helpless, but has borne her affliction without complaint. Although she has often expressed her willingness to go, and looked forward with pleasure to the time when she could meet her Master, she has been patient and resigned through it all.

MRS. LEE and her husband were among the early settlers of this community and their home was one of the most hospitable to be found anywhere on these bleak prairies. Those who were so fortunate as to know MRS. LEE well knew her as a woman who loved her family and home and her greatest joy during her life was to do for those she loved.

A short funeral service was held at the PERKINS home in Indianola, Thursday, after which the body was brought to Lamoni and a funeral service held from the home of her daughter, MRS. C.F. SMITH, Friday afternoon, in charge of G.W. Blair, sermon by Rev. J. Vincent Gray. Music consisted of a duet by Misses Mabel Carlile and Ailene Brackenbury, a solo by Fields Jones and other numbers both at the house and at the grave.

The following out of town relatives and friends attended the services in Lamoni: Mrs. W.W. Peasley and daughter, Louise, of Marshalltown; Mr. and Mrs. H.F. Perkins and Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Harlan, of Indianola; W.E. Lee and family, of Davis City; Richard Turner and son, Raymond, of Cainsville, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus Jackson, Mr. and Mrs. Dave Shacklett, Mr. and Mrs. Carr Emerson, of Kellerton; Mrs. John Frye, Mrs. Henry Wilson, Mrs. Flossie Lewis, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Teale, all of Mt. Ayr; Mrs. John Howell, Mrs. Orville Frazier, Mrs. Clarence Frazier, Mrs. Dr. Wailes, Mrs. Anthony Radnish, Carter Scott and Horace McClaren, of Davis City.

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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
List Administrator; Decatur County, Iowa GenWeb
"With permission from the Leon Journal Reporter"
July 30, 2002