DEW, Annie 1832-1929

DEW

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 5/5/2015 at 10:40:29

Mrs. Wm. Dew Dies At Advanced Age

Passed Away at Daughter's Home in Ontario, Canada, Yesterday

Mrs. Wm. Dew died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John Hunter, in Exeter, Canada. She was 98 years old. She had been in failing health for several months and the end, relatives here were advised, came quite suddenly.

Mrs. Dew was a long time resident of Grundy Center. She and her family came here 48 years ago. Mrs. Dew continued to make her home here until her husband died thirteen years ago. Shortly after that time she went to Canada to make her home with her daughter. There are two surviving sons, George and John, of this county, and three daughters, Mrs. John Hunter of Exeter, Ontario, Canada, Mrs. John Armstrong of Humboldt, and Mrs. Angus McQuirey from Britt.

Mrs. Dew's remains were sent from Exeter yesterday to Grundy Center. They are expected to arrive here Friday forenoon. Burial will be by the side of the husband in the Grundy Center cemetery.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 24 October 1929, pg 1

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Funeral of Mrs. Dew

The remains of Mrs. Wm. Dew arrived here from Exeter, Ontario, on Friday. Services were conducted by Rev. Pollock of Reinbeck. The remains were laid by the side of the husband in the Grundy Center cemetery.

Mrs. Anna Downie Dew departed this life at Exeter, Ontario, Canada, on Oct. 23, 1929, aged 97 years and 8 days. Mrs. Dew was the widow of William Dew, whose death occurred at Grundy Center on January 14, 1916, when he was in the 86th year of his age. Mr. and Mrs. Dew were both of hardy stock, he being of English birth and she of Scottish.

Mrs. Dew, whose maiden name was Anna Downie, was married to William Dew in Huron county, Canada, on March 17, 1851. This union was a happy one and was blessed with nine children, seven of whom grew to manhood and womanhood and mourned the death of their father. One son, Benjamin, whose home was in Canada, passed from this life since the father's death. Mrs. Dew is mourned by the other six children, George, of Reinbeck, and John, of Morrison, Martha, now Mrs. John Hunter of Exeter, Canada, and in whose home Mrs. Dew died, Ann, now Mrs. John Armstrong of Gilmore City, Iowa, Elizabeth, now Mrs. Angus McQuarry, of Humboldt, Iowa, and Amy, now Mrs. William Murray of Alberta, Canada.

For about 30 years after their married life began Mrs. Dew shared with her husband the experience of building a home in the virgin forests of Canada. Only those who have passed through similar experiences can appreciate what those hardships were. At first their nearest neighbors lived 9 miles away through the forests. An interesting account of the simplicity of their beginning and of some of the experiences which seem to us strange but which were quite commonplace things with them may be read by those who are fortunate to have access to a copy of The Grundy Democrat of the date January 20, 1916. After a disastrous fire in 1880 which destroyed all their outbuildings and crops, Mr. and Mrs. Dew sold their farm in Canada and removed in March, 1881, to Grundy county where they were permitted to complete 65 years of wedded life, lacking but two months.

After the death of Mr. Dew, Mrs. Dew removed to Gilmore City where she made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Armstrong, until about four years ago when she went to the home of Mrs. Hunter where she had the tenderest care which this daughter and her family could give her as her increasing infirmities required. Although she had been in great affliction for some time before her death, the end came rather suddenly at the last.

Mrs. Dew partook of the hardy physical characteristics and of the deep religious qualities of the Scotch people. Her connection with the church was with the Presbyterian and Methodist denominations as circumstances indicated. Passing from life at such an advanced age, she has left a rich legacy behind her: to her children, the memory of her own life and ministry to them in the years now long gone by; to society, her children and her children's children who profited by her teaching and example and who are citizens of a godly type and worthy of the esteem of their fellow citizens in their respective communities.

Of Mrs. Dew it was written at the time of her husband's death that she was a lovable woman, cherished not only by members of her large family but by others who had learned to know her in the years she had lived in the community.

Naturally as the infirmities of age increase and the circle of one's activities narrows, the circle of one's acquaintances also narrows, yet even strangers standing in the presence of all that is mortal of a real mother in Israel whose life span has covered practically a whole century seem to hear her speaking to the mass a voice from a generation that is gone, urging them to be loyal to the principles of the Christian religion and to remember that both in prosperity and in adversity we all need the guidance and support of that One Whose wisdom is unerring and Whose strength is unfailing.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 31 October 1929, pg 6