HOSTETTER, Lawrence 1886-1933

HOSTETTER, CRESWELL, EBERT

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 9/10/2015 at 15:53:47

Lawrence Hostetter Died Suddenly Fri. From Heart Failure

Lawrence Hostetter died suddenly from heart failure at his home three miles east of Grundy Center Friday morning. He was getting up and was putting on his clothes when he was stricken in his bedroom and the end came immediately.

Funeral services were held at the Presbyterian church in Grundy Center Sunday afternoon and they were largely attended. Rev. R. B. Fisher had charge of the services. The members of the Odd Fellows lodge attended the services in a body and had charge of the services at the grave. Burial was by the side of the wife in the Reinbeck cemetery.

A male quartet of the church consisting of Messrs. Seyb, Mamminga, Haren and Larson sang. Miss Emma Kliebenstein was pianist. The pallbearers were from his own neighbors.

Those present from out of the county were Mrs. Van Bradford and Harvey Hostetter of Wayne, Neb.; his brothers, Lau and John of Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wiley and family, and Robt. Creswell of Albion, Iowa.

Obituary
Lawrence Hostetter, son of Abram and Sarah Ebert Hostetter, was born June 17, 1886, at Blaine, Pa. There he spent his boyhood days.

He was married to May Creswell Feb. 11, 1915. She died Dec. 5, 1918.

Mr. Hostetter was one of ten children. There were three sisters and six brothers who lived. One son died in infancy. Those of the family now living are: His mother William, Mrs. R. A. Seymore, Lau, Ralph and John. He was preceded in death by his father, his brother, M. Luther, and two sisters, Mrs. Anna Stum and Mary Alice.

Mr. Hostetter was a member of the Odd Fellows.

Mr. Hostetter was very fond of children, although his own home was not blessed with any. Children in turn loved him as their friend.

The passing of Mr. Hostetter was very sudden and unexpected. He had reached the age of 46 years, 8 months and 7 days, when his early sun sank from sight while it was thought he was in his afternoon of life.

The text used by the minister was Psalm 87:6, "When he writeth up his people." The following poem was read:

He Careth
What can it mean: Is it aught to him
That the nights are long and the days are dim?
Can he be touched by the griefs I bear
Which sadden the heart and whiten the hair?
Around His throne are eternal calms,
And bliss unruffled by any strife,
How can He care for my little life?

And yet I want Him to care for me
While I live in this world where sorrows be,
When the lights die down from the path I take,
When strength is feeble and friends forsake,
When love and music, that once did bless
Have left me to silence and loneliness;
And my long-long changes to sobbing prayers
Then my life cries out to a God that cares.

When shadows hang o'er me the whole day long
And my spirit is bowed with shame and wrong;
When I am not good, and the deeper shade
Of conscious sin makes my heart afraid,
And the busy world has too much to do
To stay on its course to help me through
And I long for a Savior--can it be
That the God of the universe cares for me?

Oh, a wonderful story of deathless love,
Each child is dear to that heart above,
He fights for me when I cannot fight,
He comforts me in the gloom of night,
He lifts the burden for He is strong
He stills the sigh and awakes the song;
The sorrow that bows me down he bears
And loves and pardons, because he cares.

Let all who are sad take heart again,
We are not alone in our hour of pain.
Our Father stoops from his throne above
To soothe and quiet us with his love;
He leaves us not when the storm is high
And we have safety when he is nigh.
Can it be trouble that he doth share?
Oh, rest in peace, for the Lord doth care.
--Susan Coolidge

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 2 March 1933, pg 1