MERL IRIS (HAGEN) LANDPHAIR

HAGEN, LANDPHAIR

Posted By: Nancee Seifert (email)
Date: 1/21/2010 at 16:12:47

Decatur County Journal
Leon, Iowa
Thursday, August 7, 1913

MERL IRIS (HAGEN) LANDPHAIR, was born on the Hagen farm in Clay Township,
Harrison County, Missouri, March 9, 1887.

She lived with her parents, C.T. and DILLY HAGEN, and grew to womanhood in
the neighborhood where she was born, and when at the age of 16 years she was
converted and was baptized at a meeting held by Rev. Devoe at the Riverview
Baptist Church, and ever after lived an earnest and devoted Christian.

On March 29th, 1905, she was married to ERNEST T. LANDPHAIR, and to this
union was born one child, WILMA FAY.

Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. LANDPHAIR moved to Decatury County,
Iowa and settled on a farm three miles west of Davis City, and a little
later he bought a farm three miles north of Pleasanton which he still owns
and is his home.

Mrs. LANDPHAIR was of a kind and loving disposition, and a devoted daughter,
wife and mother and Christian woman, but for many years she has been a very
great sufferer, yet she ever bore her suffering with patience and as trying
to abide God's will, and just a short time before her departure in a very
earnest and heartfelt prayer to God, "she asked that if it be His will that
she might be permitted to be restored to her health and be permitted to
raise their dear little daughter, but she added, not my will but Thine be
done as thou God knowest best, and she was trusting all to His loving
kindness and tender mercy."

She leaves to mourn her departure a kind husband, and a little daughter and
an aged and infirm father, who on account of infirmities, was not able to
attend the funeral, and a loving mother and four dearly beloved brothers,
namely, ORA HAGEN, of Pleasanton; BEN O. HAGEN, of Saline, Mo.; W.R. HAGEN
who lives on the old home place, and HARRY who still lives with his parents
on the Hagen farm about 6 miles south of Davis City, Iowa.

All that could be, was done by kind loving friends, and skilled physicians,
to prolong her stay with us, and restore her to health, but disease had
fastened its fangs upon her, and she had to yield to it. She died at the
residence of Dr. Reed in Davis City, where she had been taken for treatment,
about 5 o'clock p.m. on Monday, July 21st, 1913, at the age of 26 years, 4
months and 12 days.

While her departure from her loved ones is very sad, yet she has entered
into her reward and has but gone on before us, leaving a bright and shining
pathway for others to follow, to meet her in glory.

Funeral services were conducted by the writer at the Christian Union Church
in Pleasanton, Sept. 22, 1913, at 2:00 p.m. The spacious church was filled
to its utmost and a large number without. The choir sang very acceptable a
number of choice hymns, the lesson fitted the occasion and the test, Psalms
2-3 and 4th verses. The theme was "Comfort in the shades of death". It was
truly a grief stricken audience, that was surely an attestation of the high
esteem in which the deceased was held. People were there from many miles
around, and the expression of grief as that vast audience viewed the remains
must have touched all hearts and a great comfort to the bereft ones, for
truly "To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die". The flower covered
casket was then taken to the Hamilton Cemetery and laid to rest, embalmed in
our tears. The deceased had a lovable personality, making friends wherever
she went. Her memory will be cherished as the years go by.

-- J.H.
BURROWS.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
January 21, 2010
iggy29@grm.net