Etta Marie Smith Spaulding 1899-1923

SPAULDING, SMITH, KRUSE, REISINGER, BILLMAN, MCDOWELL, HOUGHTALING, GANGE, MCINTIRE, GILKE

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 12/27/2010 at 21:09:42

Mrs. Don Spaulding of Gruver Suddenly Called
Dies of Heart Failure on Sunday Afternoon, While Riding With Niece and Daughter
Mrs. Don H. Spaulding of Gruver passed away very suddenly Sunday [June 13, 1923] afternoon at three o’clock of heart failure, while riding in an auto with her niece Mrs. Tim Lyons. Her daughter Wava was with them. She was taken at once to her niece’s home and a doctor summoned but he pronounced death to have occurred instantly.

Mrs. Spaulding was only in the prime of life and her death was a complete shock. She had been enjoying her usual health and the heart attack came without warning. She was held in the greatest esteem in her home community and was a leader in all local affairs. Those who knew her loved her and share with the bereaved husband and children in their grief at passing.

Etta Marie Smith, daughter of Thomas and Eliza Smith, was born in Grundy Center, Grundy county, Iowa, Sept. 27, 1874, and died at Gruver, Iowa, May 13th, 1923, age 48 years, eight months and sixteen days.

She was married to Don H. Spaulding in April 1899. To this union twin children were born a daughter Wava, and son Wayne.

She leaves to mourn her loss a devoted husband and two children, two sisters, Mrs. Henry Kruse of Estherville and Mrs. Glenn Reisinger of Farmington, Minn., and two brothers, Peter and William Smith of Kensington, Kansas.

They came to Gruver in March 1910. Resided on a farm eight years and then moved to Gruver.

Funeral services were held this afternoon (Wednesday) at the Spaulding home at 1:30 p.m. and at the Presbyterian church at Estherville at 2:15, Rev. E. O. Dirks of Gruver conducting the services. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, May 16, 1923)

Mrs. D. Spaulding Drops Dead
Mrs. Don Spaulding passed away very suddenly on last Sunday afternoon at Gruver. Mr. Spaulding left his home in Gruver and went to his farm to look at some seed corn. When he arrived there his niece said she thought she would go over to Gruver and get Mrs. Spaulding and they would go to Estherville. She drove the car to Gruver and Mrs. Spaulding got in the car. They had driven but a short distance and had not returned as far as the farm when Mrs. Spaulding threw up her hands and said she felt faint and dropped back on the seat of the car. The girl left her there in the care of two men and summoned Mr. Spaulding who was at the farm. Mr. Coleman was called at one and he said from the description of the case Mrs. Spaulding passed away at once. Mrs. Spaulding had had some heart trouble but was apparently in fine health at the time of her death, and had not complained about her condition. The obituary will be found in the “Gruver and Vicinity” items of this week. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, May 16, 1923)

Obituary of Mrs. Don H. Spaulding
Etta Marie Smith daughter of Thomas and Eliza Smith, was born September 27th, 1874, at Grundy Center, Iowa, and died Sunday, May 13th, 1923, at Gruver, aged 48 years, 7 months, 16 days. She died from heart failure, death being instantaneous.

She was united in marriage to Don Spaulding in April, 1899. To this union twin children were born, a daughter, Mava [Wava], and son, Wayne, aged thirteen years, who will miss the loving attentions and devotions of a devoted mother; also a sorrowing husband to mourn her loss.

Her other sorrowing relatives are two sisters, Mrs. Henry Kruse, of Estherville, and Mrs. Glen Reisinger, of Farmington, Minn., and two brothers, Peter and William Smith of Kensington, Kansas. She, with her husband, came to Emmet county thirteen years ago in March and settled on a farm two miles south of Gruver. The family moved to Gruver three years ago where they have since resided.

While Mrs. Spaulding was a great home woman she found time to give aid to the sick and needy and was a faithful worker in the Ladies League of which she was a member. Funeral services will be held from the home, in Gruver at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday from there to the Presbyterian church in Estherville, Rev. Dirks officiating. Burial will be in Estherville. A number of relatives are here to attend the funeral. Mr. and Mrs. Billman of Dike; Peter Smith of Kensington, Kan.; Mrs. McDowell of Sanborn, Ia.; Mrs. Houghtaling of Dowling, S. Dak.; Mrs. Frank Gange of Rinebeck; Mrs. Lyman McIntire of Cedar Rapids; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gilke of Lakota; Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Reisinger of Farmington and a number of others are expected to arrive later. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, May 16, 1923)