Elizabeth Harrington Sullivan 1858-1940

SULLIVAN, MCKIBBEN, PARSONS, STEINER

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 7/31/2011 at 11:17:05

Remains of Mrs. P. J. Sullivan Laid to Rest
Funeral Services for Estherville Pioneer Held Last Week; Mrs. Sullivan Had Been Ill For Several Weeks.
A short mention was made in last week’s Times of the death of Mrs. P. J. Sullivan, 81, who passed away at her home in Estherville Monday evening, April 1, 1940, at 10 p.m. Mrs. Sullivan had been in failing health for the past year or more and for a few weeks prior to her death was confined to her bed, suffering from the effects of a stroke. She was given tender and loving care and the best of medical attention but due to her advanced years she was unable to rally and peacefully passed away.

The funeral services were held the following Thursday morning. A requiem high mass was celebrated was celebrated at St. Patrick’s Catholic church, the pastor, the Rev. J. J. Keane officiating. Father Keane paid a beautiful tribute to the worth of the deceased as a loving wife, mother, friend and neighbor and as a devout and sincere Catholic. There was a very large attendance at the funeral and the member of the altar society marched in a body. Banks of beautiful flowers, the gift of sorrowing relatives and friends, adorned the casket at the home and at the grave. Interment was in the Catholic cemetery. The Rev. Father Kelly, Graettinger, an early day pastor at Estherville, officiated at the grave. The casket bearers were D. A. Bagan, Francis Kennedy, Michael Foley, Fred Larson, John Koster and J. J. Sullivan.

Elizabeth Harrington, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Harrington, was born in Bantry, county Cork, Ireland, December 25, 1858. When she was 17 years of age her family came to the United States and located at Cincinnati, Ohio. On December 20, 1883, she was united in marriage to Mr. Patrick J. Sullivan. The ceremony was performed at Belmond, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan established their home in Estherville early the following year. Mr. Sullivan had, prior to his marriage, been a resident of Estherville. He was an engineer on the B.C.R. & N. railroad, now the Rock Island. He was a fireman for the Burlington when the railroad was built through Graettinger.

Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan spent the 56 years of the happily wedded life in the friendly prairie metropolis of northwest Iowa where they established their home when they were newlyweds. They were industrious and thrifty and prospered throughout the years. They built and occupied one of the finest homes in Estherville. They assisted in establishing the Catholic church at that place and the church was named St. Patrick’s in recognition of the first name of Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Howe and several other Irish Catholics then residents of Estherville.

Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan were blessed with six children, three sons and three daughters. Their children were given every advantage of education and training and all have succeeded in life. Their success and their honor was always a source of pride and satisfaction to their parents. Besides the sorrowing husband the children are John F. and William J. Sullivan, Mandan, North Dakota, and Joseph, a resident of St. Paul. All three sons are attorneys. The daughters are Mrs. Guy T. McKibben, Cedar Rapids; Mrs. F. J. Parsons, Estherville; and Mrs. Frank J. Steiner, Armstrong. There are 15 grandchildren. A brother, Sam Harrington, resides at Newport, Rhode Island.

The death of Mrs. Sullivan, the first of the family, is keenly felt by the surviving partner, by the loving sons and daughters and by the grandchildren and scores of friends. They realize, of course, and are deeply thankful that the devoted, loving wife, mother and grandmother was spared to them for so many years. Mrs. Sullivan was a woman beloved by all who knew her. She was not only a woman of refinement, culture and grace but possessed a most beautiful character and charming personality. Throughout the more than four score years that God allotted to her was a devout and sincere Catholic, faithfully practicing in every detail all the requirements of her faith. She was an ideal neighbor and no friend could be more loyal. She admired the better things of life and the happiness, the success and the achievements of her friends were always a pleasure to her. She was ever kind and considerate, preferring at all times to draw the mangle of charity over what might be considered the errors of frail human nature so often a source of gossip. She sought to honors in the social world – her church, her home, her husband, children, grandchildren and friends were her sources of happiness. Her noble, beautiful, happy Christian life will always be a loving memory cherished by those who were near and dear to her. The Times extends sincere sympathy to the aged, grief-stricken husband and to the sons and daughters in their hour of sorrow. (Graettinger Times, Graettinger, IA, April 11, 1940)