SHIRK, Asa 1895-1926

SHIRK, ALLEN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/1/2015 at 16:35:46

Asa Shirk Dies In the Hospital At Marshalltown

Death Came Last Night After Long Fight With Blood Poisoning

Funeral Next Saturday

Trouble Began Seven Weeks Ago; Had Several Operations at Hospital

Asa Shirk died at the Deaconess hospital at Marshalltown at 7:45 last night. His condition had been very serious for several days prior to his death and since Sunday there appeared to be very little chance or hope of his recovery. The remains were taken to his home today. Funeral services will be at the home Saturday at 11 o'clock and later at the Alice church where burial will be made.

Seven weeks ago Asa pricked his hand slightly. It left a mark on the skin having the appearance of a mosquito bite. He paid no attention to it for a number of days and when he went to see a doctor about it there was a well developed case of blood poisoning. The doctors at home could give him no help and he was taken to the hospital at Marshalltown four weeks ago. He submitted to a number of operations there but received no relief.

Asa was the son of Mr. and Mrs. I. N. Shirk, of Grundy Center. He was 31 years and 10 days of age at the time of his death. He was born in this county and lived here all of his life. About nine years ago he was married to Miss Verdene Allen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Allen. Four children were born to this union, the oldest of the children is eight and the youngest is two years old. He has one brother, Harry, and two sisters, Mrs. John Price and Mrs. Ray Johnson.

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

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Obituary of Asa J. Shirk

On October 24th, 1895, a little son was born to Mr. and Mrs. I. N. Shirk, of Grundy county, Iowa, Asa J.

The fond parents administered tender care and proper nourishment to the then helpless babe and he lived and grew.

A few short years and they saw him toddling off to school in the rural distract. Some of his later school days were spent at Ellsworth College.

When a lad of fifteen years he was converted, baptized and united with the Church of God at Alice.

Manhood came, and on March 20th, 1918, he took for a life companion Birdine, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Allen. Four little ones came to bless and happify this home, and many years of happiness seemed in store. Little did they know of death lurking just ahead, waiting to strike down the strong husband of the wife and father of the little ones.

About September 20th a small scratch on the hand became irritable. Attention was given but it gradually grew worse and on October 3rd, Asa was taken to the Deaconess hospital at Marshalltown where for thirty days he was in the hands of able doctors and trained nurses, and desperate efforts were put forth to check the onslaught of the terrible disease, blood poisoning.

Relatives and friends stood helplessly by and watched the destroyer take little by little the bright luster from the eye and the strong physique from the body, until Wednesday November 3rd at 7:45 p.m. death came.

Asa leaves to mourn his untimely death a father and mother, a wife, three sons and one daughter, two sisters and one brother, with a host of friends and many more distant relatives.

Funeral services were held at the Alice church Saturday, Nov 6, at 11 o'clock a.m. conducted by Rev. E. E. Heltibridle. Because of the large gathering of friends, many were compelled to remain outside the church.

The profusion of floral offerings were in charge of Lela Heltibridle, Ada Phillips, Vivian Boyle and Vernice Rogers. The pallbearers were Walter Minnich, Orville Kell, Harry Heltibridle, Bert Bockes, Fred Bernhardt and Ralph Phillips.

Relatives attending from a distance were Mr. and Mrs. Will Sayer, of Hartley, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Shirk and Mrs. Ona Hasbrook, of Goldfield; Mrs. Charles Hinkley and Mrs. J. A. Morris, of Davenport; Mr. and Mrs. Ray Johnson, of Woodbine; Mr. and Mrs. I. J. Peterson, of Marshalltown; Mr. and Mrs. Dolan Allen and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Allen, of Dows; Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Allen and Mr. and Mrs. Ford Thompson, of Albion; Mr. and Mrs. John Oaks and two daughters and Mrs. G. W. Oaks, of Gladbrook; W. L. Allen, of Beaman; Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Allard and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bernhardt, of Cedar Falls.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 11 November 1926, pg 12