TURNER, Mary 1853-1917

TURNER, HESS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 5/6/2012 at 18:32:21

Obituary--Mrs. Mary E. Turner

Mary Elizabeth Hess was born May 26, 1853, in Wirtenburg, Germany and came to America at the age of one year. Her first birthday anniversary was spent on the ocean. After six months residence in New York, the family moved to Illinois. In 1865 when Sister Turner was 12 years of age the family moved to Grundy county, Iowa, and soon settled on the farm which since has been her home. February 1891 she became the wife of J. L. Turner of Pennsylvania. After almost 20 years which was March 9, 1910, this happy union was broken by the death of her husband.

She is the mother of three children: Mrs. Alice Cakerice, Mrs. Clara Miller, and Daniel Louis who has been living with his mother. She was also the foster mother of Ernest J. Gohner, who lives on the home place. There remain also two aunts, Miss Lizzie Hess, Mt. Carroll, Illinois, and Mrs. Mary Sower, in the old home town in Germany; one step-brother, David Reisinger and two step-sisters, Mary McCurdy and Adeline Thompson.

In 1895, she with her husband, was received into Christian fellowship by baptism and has lived faithful in her profession till called to her long home.

She was always thoughtful of others and her greatest desire was to be useful to them, making her own illnesses and needs as mild as possible. Very few knew of her sufferings which became more excruciating until she was relived by death, Friday, July 27, 1917, at the age of 64 years, 4 months and 1 day.

Dear is the spot where Christians sleep,
And sweet the strain which angels pour,
O why should we in anguish weep?
They are not lost, but gone before.
Secure from every mortal care,
By sin and sorrow vexed no more!
Eternal happiness they share,
Who are not lost, but gone before.
She saw a hand you could not see,
Which beckoned her away;
She heard a voice you could not hear,
Which would not let her stay.

The funeral was conducted at Ivester Sunday at 2:30. A very large crowd was present. The house was filled and some outside. Services were conducted by the pastor, assisted by the former pastor, Rev. I. W. Brubaker, music in charge of the church chorister. The pall bearers were H. C. Sheller, A. H. Miller, Howard George, Chris Schwarck, George Schwarck, D. I. Meyers. The burial was in the Ivester cemetery, 2 miles north.

Card of Thanks
The family thanks every one for the helpfulness, sympathy and comfort rendered them in this time of sorrow.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 2 August 1917, pg 8