Avery, Margaret S. E. (Wills) 1822 – 1881

AVERY, WILLS, PACKARD, CLARK

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/25/2014 at 12:08:13

Iowa Plain Dealer August 4, 1881, P3 C3

Obituary.

AVERY.—Died in Cresco Iowa, August 22, 1881, Margaret S. E. Avery, aged 59 years.

The deceased whose maiden name was Margaret S. E. Wills was born in Franklin Connecticut, where her early days were spent, and where she married George Avery, settling down in life at Norwich in their native State. The fruits of this marriage were five children four of them are living viz: Mrs. Packard, Waukau, Wis. Joseph T. Avery Spring Valley Minn., Mrs. Henry Clark, and Miss Nellie of Kaukauna Wisconsin.

Mrs. Avery came to Cresco a few weeks since to care for and soothe the last days of her son George who died here recently.

Thirty years ago with her husband she settled at Waukau, Winnebago county, Wisconsin, remaining there until about twelve years ago they came to Cresco and lived with a son-in-law, Mr. Henry Clark. Nearly one year ago they returned to Waukau for the purpose of obtaining some medical aid for her husband whose health was seriously impaired from sun stroke in 1876.

Mrs. Avery was one of the purest, truest and best of mothers, wives and neighbors, and leaves a large circle of friends to mourn her untimely end. Surely it requires all the philosophy, all the endurance of mental torture, of which the human mind is capable, strengthened by Christian faith in Him “who doeth all things well,” to heal such wounds in the human heart. Over her flower-bedecked and tear-bedewed grave most feelingly do the friends of the family extend the sympathetic hand and drop the bitter, but unavailing tear. She was a member of the Episcopal church, and we think had remained a communicant of Grace Church, in this place. Her daughters Mrs. Clark and Packard and Joseph were here to care for her and smooth the way to the grave. Her remains were removed to Waukau Wisconsin for burial.

Bright be the place of thy soul,
No Kindler{sp} spirit than thine,
E’er burst from its mortal control,
In the orbs of the blessed to shine.

On earth thou were tender and kind,
And thy soul shall immortality see;
Thus our sorrows should cease to repine,
When we know that thy God is with thee.

Light be the turf on thy tomb,
May its verdue like emeralds bet
There should not be a shadow of gloom
In aught that reminds us of thee.

Young flowers and an evergreen tree
May spring from the spot of thy rest;
But no cypress or yew let there be,
For why should we mourn for the blest.

Second Notice posted by Joy Moore 5/25/2014

Iowa Plain Dealer

Grace Church Rectory

Cresco, Iowa, Aug 23, 1881.

We, the Rector and Wardens of Grace Church, desire, on our own behalf and that of the entire parish which we represent, to express our deep sympathy with the family and other relatives of our late parishioner and friend, Mrs. Margaret S. E. Avery, who, after less than a year’s absence, having returned to this place to attend upon a favorite son during the closing hours of his last illness, was herself attacked by a fatal disease, and, in four short weeks, followed that son to the spiritland.

Mrs. Avery came to Cresco in 1872 from Wisconsin, to which state she had immigrated from Connecticut. She was educated in the Protestant Episcopal Church, of which she became a devoted and conscientious communicant in early life.

During her nine years’ residence in Cresco, she ever maintained the character of a consistent Christian, active in Church work, an officer of the Ladies Aid Society, and ready always to respond to the calls of charity. Highly esteemed by all that knew her for her many excellent qualities of mind and heart, her memory will be long and gratefully cherished by her fellow communicants of Grace Church. We know that our great loss is her unspeakable gain; and we can only pray that we may so follow her good example that we, like her, may finish our course in faith, and rest from our labors, in the confident hope of a blessed immortality.

It is ordered that this minute be preserved among our parish archives, that a copy be sent to the family of the deceased, and that it be published in the papers of Cresco.

C. S. PERCIVAL, Rector.

WM. GREENHALGH, ) Wardens.
S. H. CLARK, )