Levahn, Mary Nelson (1858-1896)

LEVAHN, NELSON

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/12/2020 at 10:52:04

Stratford Courier
February 6, 1898

OBITUARY

Mrs. Mary Levahn, nee Nelson, was born in Sweden, in the parish of Osterslof, Kristianstads Län, Feb. 10th, 1858 and came to America in company with her parents, at 11 years of age or in 1869. They stayed awhile in Illinois, but soon removed to Red Oak, Iowa, where they settled and where she was united in marriage to Rev. John Levahn then pastor of the Swedish Methodist church at Creston, on Oct. 20th, 1886. Their next charge was at Andover, Ill. where they stayed five years; and in 1893 they came to Stratford.

She died Friday, Jan. 31st. She was an exemplary christian and loved by all who made her acquaintance. Beside a husband and two small daughters, Esther and Myrtle, she leaves parents, three brothers and two sisters, all of whom were present at the funeral, except the mother who is quite feeble, and one brother.

At her funeral officiated Rev. O.J. Swan of Des Moines. Revs. O.W. Ostrom and John Linn of Dayton and Rev. J.E. Berggren and Rev. P.J. Peterson of Stratford. The choir sang appropriate hymns. The funeral was attended by the whole congregation.

"Alone I walked the peopled city,
Where each seems happy with his own;
O, friend. I ask not for your pity,
I walk alone.

No more for me yon lake rejoices,
Though moved by loving airs of June;
O birds, your sweet and piping voices
Are out of tune.

In vain for me the elm tree arches
Its plumes in many a feathery spray,
In vain the evening's starry marches
And sunlit day.

In vain your beauty, summer flowers;
Ye cannot greet these cordial eyes;
They gaze on other fields than ours
On other skies.

The gold is sifted from the coffer,
The blade is stolen from the sheath;
Life has but one more boon to offer,
And that is - death.

Yet well I know the voice of Duty,
And, therefore, life and health must crave
Though she who gave the world its beauty
Is in her grave.

I live. O lost one! for the living
Who drew their earliest life from thee.
And wait until with glad thanksgiving
I shall be free.

For life to me is as a station
Where in a port a traveler stands.
One absent long from home and nation,
In other lands.

And I, as one who stands and listens
Amid the twilight's chill and gloom,
To hear approaching in the distance,
The train for home.

"For death shall bring another mating
Beyond the shadow of the tomb;
On yonder sphere a bride is waiting
Until I come." - O.J.S.

Harcourt News
February 6, 1898

Obituary

Mary, wife of Rev. Levahn, of Stratford, died at the Swedish M.E. parsonage in that place last Friday morning, aged 37 years, 11 months and 21 days. Her death was supposed to have been caused by erysipitus. There was a very large funeral Sunday. Presiding elder Swan preached in Swedish and Rev. O.W. Rostrum in English. Rev. John Linn, John Bergen and John Peterson assisted. There was a very large audience present. She leaves two children, one girl five years old and a girl baby six months old. Rev. Levahn, himself is sick and they have the sincerest sympathies of the church and community.

Note: Daughter of Per Nilsson and Pernilla.