DEFREECE, Samuel O.

DEFREECE, FURBUSH, WADE, DICKINSON, MARSHALL

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/26/2009 at 18:04:54

Submitted by WF
Sidney, Fremont County, Iowa
The Fremont County Herald
March 6, 1908

"DR. DeFREECE SUCCUMBS AFTER A HEROIC BATTLE WITH DISEASE".

-- It is a sad mission for a newspaper to chronicle the death of an individual. It seems doubly sad when a strong man is cut down in the prime of life when the days of his hope and usefulness are at their height.

It is only in fulfillment of the scriptural injunction that "It is appointed unto man once to die," etc. It comes to the human race no
matter in what station of life one may be called. It has entered our city and taken from us one of our well known and highly esteemed
citizens. It has removed a former active man from the medical profession of Sidney It has cast a gloom over our city.

Samuel O. DeFreece was born ten miles south of Rock Port, Atchison county, Missouri, March 26, 1859, and was the son of Moses and Sophia
DeFreece. He came with his parents to Sidney township, Fremont county, Iowa, when 7 years of age and here passed the period of adolescence as
most farmer boys do attending district school and assisting with the chores. Later he concluded to enter professional life and began the necessary preparation for teaching school which work he followed about one year. His pedagogical labors were not to his liking so he turned his attention to the study of medicine and graduated from Saint Joseph Medical College, Saint Joseph, Missouri, at the age of about 24. He began to practice at Corning, Missouri, but for more than twenty years he was located in Sidney and his practice was extensive and he was
thoroughly in love with his profession and continued to administer to the sick and afflicted long after his own health was badly broken.

On March 26, 1890, Mr. DeFreece was united in marriage to Miss May Furbush, daughter of J. B. Furbush, and to them six children were born, five of whom are living. Their names are: Austin, Gerald, Mildred, Hobart and Lyman. He also leaves to mourn, his parents, Moses DeFreece
and wife, Sidney, Iowa; W. M. DeFreece, Riverton, Iowa; Annie E. Wade, who is now in New Mexico; J. J. DeFreece, Parnell, Missouri; L. R.
DeFreece, Sidney, Iowa; G. T. DeFreece Sidney, Iowa; S. A. DeFreece, Sidney, Iowa; R. E. DeFreece, Baker City, Oregon; Pete DeFreece, Latham, Kansas, brothers and sister of the deceased.

The failure of health began to manifest itself about three years ago and he consulted specialists at Omaha and Kansas City and tried the medicinal properties of Excelsior Springs, but all availed no permanent relief. Only a few days ago he took his bed and grew rapidly worse until the end came on Wednesday, March 4, 1908 at 10:15 a.m., from the disease known as "fatty degeneration of the heart." At times his suffering was great, but he stood it heroically and no one knew better than he the result of his malady.

Deceased held many positions of trust and responsibility, namely: member of school board of which he was president for several years; a
member of the pension board for Fremont county; coroner of the county, and medical examiner for several life insurance companies.

He was a charter member of Juanita Lodge No. 227, Knights of Pythias, also Sidney Camp No. 336, Modern Woodmen of America, and under
the beautiful ritualistic ceremony of these societies all that was mortal of their brother and neighbor was laid to rest in our silent city
of the dead.

The funeral services were held from the home this Friday at 2:30 p.m. by Dr. E. Dickinson and Rev. C. A. Marshall of the Presbyterian church. The choir being composed of members of the different choirs.

The school board met Wednesday evening and drafted appropriate resolutions out of respect for his valuable work for education. The floral offerings were quite profuse and of special designs. Many kindly words are spoken of which each and all are tokens of esteem and a flower
to his memory.

Fremont County IAGenWeb
 

Fremont Obituaries maintained by Karyn Techau.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen