GRANTWITH, Francis 1920-1923

GRANTWITH

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 3/3/2015 at 21:40:05

Francis Margaret Grantwith

Frances Margaret Grantwith, only child of Mr. and Mrs. Lynne Grantwith, was born in Reinbeck, Iowa, July 24th, 1920.

Her brief little life was all spent in the home of her birth. She was a bright, beautiful darling. So loving and happy always. A perfect sunbeam. Shedding light and gladness everywhere; a joy and comfort in the home. Idolized by her fond parents, and loved by all her playmates and friends. So full of life and vigor only last Monday.

On Tuesday she was stricken with that dreaded malady, scarlet fever, suffering intensely until Friday morning, May 11th, when at five o'clock the Heavenly Father gathered the beautiful sunbeam to shine in the Heavenly Home of Light. A brother, and sister preceded little Margaret to the beautiful home on high.

She leaves to mourn her early departure, her heartbroken parents, a grandmother, and a host of other relatives who loved little Margaret dearly.

All night long we watched the ebbing life,
As if its flight to stay;
Till as the dawn was coming up,
Our last hope passed away.
She was the music of our home,
A day that knew no night,
The fragrance of our garden bower,
A thing all smiles and light.
Above the couch we bent and prayed,
In the half-lighted room;
As the bright hues of infant life
Sank slowly into gloom.
Each flutter of the pulse we marked,
Each quiver of the eye;
To the dear lips our ear we laid,
To catch the last low sigh.
We stroked the little sinking cheeks,
The forehead pale and fair;
We kissed the small, round, ruby mouth,
For Margaret still was there.
We fondly smoothed the scattered curls,
Of her rich golden hair;
We held the gentle palm in ours,
For Margaret still was there.
At last the fluttering pulse stood still,
The death-frost through her clay
Stole slowly; and as morn came up,
Our sweet flower passed away.
The form remains; but there is now
No soul our love to share;
No warm responding lip to kiss;
For Margaret is not there.
Farewell, with weeping hearts we say,
Child of our love and care!
And now we cease to kiss those lips,
For Margaret is not there.
But years are moving quickly past,
And time will soon be o'er;
Death shall be swallowed up in life
On the immortal shore.
Then shall we clasp that hand once more,
And smooth that golden hair;
Then shall we kiss those lips again,
For Margaret shall be there.

Funeral services were held on the lawn at the home Saturday afternoon, May 12th, conducted by Rev. Geo. E. Shear. He took for his text Second Samuel 12:22, "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." Mr. Earl Wallace sang "The Lord is my Shepherd" and "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere." Interment was in Reinbeck cemetery.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 17 May 1923, pg 1