Kimball, Mary Rowena (Lewis) (1852-1908)

LEWIS, KIMBALL

Posted By: Laura Kendall (email)
Date: 1/8/2009 at 20:30:11

SCRANTON JOURNAL, Thursday Oct. 15, 1908

Rowena Lewis first saw the light of day at Bristol, Kendall County, IL on April 13, 1852. A few months later her parents moved to LaSalle, where she lived until the death of her mother in 1866. The following year her father and family moved to Jones County, Iowa. At the age of fourteen she returned to Illinois, assuming the duties of housekeeper for an old friend and neighbor to the family, until the year 1869. Her next vocation was to take the place of her older sister at the head of the family in Jones county where she remained until her marriage to J.M. Kimball on March 16, 1876. Mr. & Mrs. Kimball started married life on a farm in Jones county, Iowa, where they lived for eleven years. During this time three children were born to them: a daughter Zoe, who died at the age of seventeen months, and two sons, Otto and Leo, now grown to manhood, who were present to comfort her in her last sickness. In the fall of 1887 they moved to their present farm near Scranton, Iowa.

Mrs. Kimball became a member of the M.E. Church in August 1898, uniting with the Willow class, Scranton charge under the pastorate of Rev. Homan. While her health would permit she was a leading worker of this church and Sunday school.

On July 11, 1907 she underwent a very serious operation for cancer of the breast, at the hospital in Carroll, Iowa. This operation was seemingly successful, and she left for her home a few weeks later. But her health gradually gave way and she sank to rest at 7 p.m., October 7, 1908, giving up a hard fought battle for her life while faintly murmuring "Thy will be done".

In this passing of Mrs. Kimball the church and community loses a good and useful woman; her life was devoted first to her husband and family, and she was happiest while working and toiling for others. She is greatly missed by her many friends and neighbors. The life this good woman lived will continue to inspire and bless her friends she leaves to mourn.

The funeral occurred from her late home and was conducted by her pastor, Rev. E.M. Hoff, pastor of the M.E. Church of this place and was largely attended by her friends and neighbors. At the close of the funeral her remains were followed to the Scranton cemetery by a long procession of true and devoted friends and was there tenderly laid to rest by loving hands.

Mr. Kimball and the bereft boys have the earnest sympathy of the people in this entire community. They have lost a true and devoted wife and mother.