COPLEY, John 1851-1926

COPLEY, MILLER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/1/2015 at 15:38:03

When the Grim Reaper comes in his mysterious way and takes from our midst a representative man of our community, we note the fact that the Great and Ruling Providence has made His choice for His particular purpose and wish to pay proper tribute.

John Copley was born near Toronto, Canada, on October 24, 1851, and moved to Davenport, Iowa, with his parents when eighteen years of age.

He was married at Eldridge, Iowa, on March 11, 1879, to Agnes Miller and a few years later came to Grundy county where he has since lived--for many years on a farm north of Morrison and later at Reinbeck.

He had always been a strong and robust man until the last year when circulatory trouble caused a decline in his usual vigor, and family and friends became alarmed a few weeks ago when heart trouble developed. Later the circulation being cut off entirely from one limb, he was removed to the Allen Memorial hospital in Waterloo where in an effort to save his life the limb was amputated. He failed to recover from the shock of this operation and passed away there at 3:15 p.m., Friday, October 22, 1926.

Besides the wife, he leaves a large family of children, all of whom are well known in this community, and also several brothers and sisters.

Many years ago he expressed a hope that he might live to see his family grown before he would be called form them. This desire gratified, he was ready and willing to take the last journey. He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church and a faithful attendant at its services always.

Words seems to futile to express a tribute worthy of Mr. Copley, but these few tell it all. He was a gentleman. He played fair in the strenuous game of life. He was clean of body, mind and soul, and always full of consideration for others. His hopes and dreams were founded on the rock of determination. He looked you straight in the eye and he looked neither up to the rich nor down to the poor. Too brave to lie, too generous to cheat, he took his share of the world and let others have theirs. He met victory without boasting, defeat without bitterness and all life with a smile. His firmness of character, good judgment and strict adherence to the highest standards of fairness and right won for him hosts of friends as evidenced by the throng, many of whom had come long distances to attend the funeral services, which were held in the Congregational church in Reinbeck on Monday afternoon.

When the summons comes to those in the ripeness of years, there is, in one sense, no cause for sorrow, when we pause to appreciate what service the departed life has given and what great radiation it was the privilege of such a life to diffuse. It is at least one of the consolations of life that in this we have all much to be grateful for, even while the clouds themselves are yet screening the lessons and the purposes involved and with Halleck we can say:
"When hearts, whose worth was proven
Like thine, are laid in earth,
There should a wreath be woven
To tell the world their worth."

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 28 October 1926, pg 1