SHURTLEFF, Mary 1847-1926

SHURTLEFF

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 3/28/2015 at 21:41:29

Mrs. G. A. Shurtleff Passed Away Mon. At Hammond, La.

Remains Enroute To Grundy Center For Funeral Services

Will Arrive Friday Noon

Was Aged About 79 Years and One of Grundy County's Earliest Settlers

A letter was received here Wednesday noon by Mr. and Mrs. D. A. Mast from Mr. G. A. Shurtleff in which the latter stated that Mrs. Shurtleff had passed away at their summer home in Hammond, Louisiana, at 1:35 on Monday afternoon, March 1st. 1926.

A message was received here the latter part of last week and it was first interpreted to read that Mrs. Shurtleff had passed away last week, but it was discovered later that this was an error.

In the letter received yesterday from Mr. Shurtleff he stated that he would leave Hammond with the remains on Wednesday and expected to arrive in Grundy Center by Friday noon.

No arrangements can be definitely made here for the funeral until further word has been received from Mr. Shurtleff, or until the arrival of the body.

Mrs. Shurtleff had been in delicate health for a number of years and for the past several years they have been spending the winters in the south where they have a fine summer home.

Mr. and Mrs. Shurtleff left here a year ago last December for the south after spending the summer of 1924 here. But they were not able to return last summer as had been their habit owing to Mrs. Shurtleff's condition.

Recently she was stricken with the "flu" which later developed into pneumonia and her frail condition was unable to battle against the disease.

Mrs. Shurtleff was about 79 years of age and the family had been residents of Grundy county for upwards of fifty years being numbered among our earliest pioneer settlers.

There are a few relatives living in the east, one or two nieces in Nebraska, and a cousin, Mr. Frank Collins, living at Des Moines.

Mrs. Shurtleff was a life-long member of the Presbyterian church and it is presumed the funeral will be held from that church either Friday or Saturday of this week.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 4 March 1926, pg 1

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Obituary Mrs. Mary R. Shurtleff

On Saturday afternoon, March the sixth, occurred the funeral services for Mrs. Mary R. Shurtleff, for many long years one of the best known residents of Grundy Center and county.

For a number of years past, it has been the regular custom of Mr. and Mrs. Shurtleff to spend the winter months at Hammond, La., where they owned a winter home. This was done to escape the cold winters of the North. It was in November of 1924 when for the last time, they went to the Southland, not returning last spring, due to a fall which Mrs. Shurtleff experienced making it advisable for them to continue in the South.

Mrs. Shurtleff's maiden name was Mary R. Eaton, and was born in the province of Quebec, Canada, just over the line from Vermont, in Stanstead township, on the 20th day of February, 79 years ago, and at the age of 20, on the 7th day of May, 1867, she gave her hand in marriage to G. A. Shurtleff, and came at once to make her home in Grundy county, this state. This immediate vicinity had been her home ever since, with the exception, as stated, that she spent the winters for a number of years at Hammond, Louisiana, where on Monday, March 1st, she passed to her eternal reward, after many long years of almost constant suffering, although exercising great patience in the meantime. Rev. Cain, the pastor of the Hammond Presbyterian church, accompanied the family on the train to Grundy Center, the party arriving on Friday and the funeral services being held on the following day. Rev. Dr. Chambers, the pastor of First Presbyterian church here, having charge of the service and preaching the sermon. Interment was made in the city cemetery. During most of her life, taking in all the time of residence in this city, Mrs. Shurtleff had been a devoted member of the local Presbyterian church, having united on the 15th day of December, 1869. Mrs. Shurtleff was a devoted Christian woman, her church always being a matter of deep concern to her.

"Thy day has come, not gone;
Thy sun has risen, not set;
Thy life is now beyond
The reach of change or death;
Not ended, but begun,
O, noble soul! O, gentle heart!
Hail! and farewell." --H.C.C.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 18 March 1926, pg 6