MARY ANN (GITTINGER) GARBER

GITTINGER, GARBER, BUNCH, RYAN, DALE, RIDGEWAY, STEPHENS, PETERS, FIELD

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 8/30/2002 at 21:15:07

Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa
Thursday, February 28, l924

MARY ANN GITTINGER, in whose memory these lines are written, was born March l6, l858, at the old GITTINGER homestead in Center Township, Decatur County, Iowa; being the third child of DANIEL R. and SARAH GITTINGER. The days of her girlhood were all spent in this locality and to the friends who have compiled this obituary, her appearance in those days is still vivid on memory's page though more than fifty years have passed away: As a girl she was honest, intellectual, and religious. In the month of May, l876, she with her sister AGNES, united with the Brethren Church at Franklin. The writer of these lines, who was present at her baptism and also at her marriage, and who has been associated with her church life and know of her family life, in this hour of separation recall with satisfaction, the humility, efficiency and effectiveness with which she went about her duties. She taught school for a short time in her home school and on April 30, l882, she was united in marriage to LEWIS D. GARBER. They settled on a farm where she continued to live until her death, which occurred February l8, l924. Here her children were all born, seven girls and one boy, all living except the oldest which died in infancy. All are married except SAMUEL R., who has always lived with his parents. Those living in this locality are MRS. BESSIE BUNCH; MRS. MYRA RYAN; MRS. JOSEPHINE DALE; and MRS. GEORGIA RIDGEWAY. MRS. LUCY STEPHENS and MRS. CLARA PETERS live in Wyoming. Of her brothers and sisters, her four brothers are living: LEWIS, in Nebraska; LEROY, in Kansas; and WM. P. and FRANK M., in this county. Her only living sister is MRS. EMMA FIELD, of Iola, Kansas. She has four sisters dead.

No words of eulogy for her are necessary for the husband whose joys and sorrows and triumphs she shared nor for the children to whom she gave her strength, her love and her counsel, neither by the friends who knew her, for the memory we all retain of her simple faithful life will always remain a loving tribute too sacred and too dear for human words to express.

Funeral services were held at the home on Thursday, Feb. 2lst, at ll o'clock, conducted by Rev. O.C. Caskey, of the Brethren Church, being very largely attended. Interment was in the Leon Cemetery.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A CARD -- We desire to express our deep appreciation of the sympathy and thoughtfulness extended to us by so many in our great bereavement, and also for the many beautiful floral tributes.

L.D. GARBER and Children.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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