GARNER, Amanda 1838-1893

GARNER, STEPHENS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 2/4/2011 at 19:52:02

The community was greatly shocked last Friday morning upon learning of the sudden death of Mrs. C. M. Garner, which occurred in the Baptist church, the evening before. She accompanied her daughter to the church about 7:30 p.m., and when nearly there, sat down on the sidewalk to rest, saying she felt that she could go no further. She had been in the habit of stopping at her sisters, Mrs. Borton, and taking a short rest before proceeding to the church where a revival is in progress. Upon this evening however, she was a little late and after resting a moment on the street made her way to the church, only to reach the vestibule where she sank into a chair and suddenly expired without a look of recognition or word of warning to her friends. Loving hands tenderly carried her into the church where every effort was made to revive her, but without effect, the spirit had taken its flight, and instead of praising God in an earthly tabernacle, hers was a grander privilege--to join the everlasting throng in chanting the praises of Him who said, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." While her loved ones are left to mourn her death, and her friends and neighbors will long miss her kindly face and ministering hand, yet all rejoice that she died in the faithful service of her Master and was ready to go without a moments warning, and sacrificed her very life's breath to meet and join in his worship. The funeral services were conducted at the M. E. church by Rev. Wm. Eikenbury of Waterloo. The sermon was full of hope and assurance for the christian but gave no promise to the unsaved. His remarks were very impressive and no doubt will have its effect upon souls. A large concourse of friends followed the remains to their last resting place and tenderly confined to the tomb all that was mortal of the devoted wife and loving mother, a true friend of humanity and a faithful servant of the Lord. We join with the friends of the bereaved ones in sympathy in this hour of trial.

Deceased, Amanda W. Stephens, was born November 7th, 1838, and was united in marriage to Chas. M. Garner, November 21st, 1868. They resided in Norristown, Pa. till April, 1879, when they removed to Mt. Carroll, Ill., and in October of the same year, came to Grundy Center, Iowa, where they have made their home for the past sixteen years. Mrs. Garner united with the Brethren's church in 1875 and has lived an earnest, ? christian life, ever ready with willing hands and words of sympathy to assist the sick and the afflicted. Deceased was fifty-four years, two months and nineteen days old. She leaves a husband, one daughter and a step-daughter. A sister living in Grundy center, Ia., and three sisters living in Montgomery county, Pa., and also one brother in Philadelphia, Pa., to mourn her loss.

--The Grundy County Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 2 February 1893