Kessel, Lila (Truitt) 1863 – 1898

KESSEL, TRUITT, CLARK

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:20

Iowa Plain Dealer January 11, 1898, FP, C7

Obituary.
Mrs. Lila Truitt Kessel, was born in southern Iowa, April 17, 1863. She was the youngest of three children, one died in infancy and the other, a brother, survives her and resides in Macon, Mo.
Mrs. Kessel's father died when she was a little child, leaving her mother to support and care for her children as best she could. In 1879 her mother died and she then made her home with Dr. and Mrs. E. M. Clark, of Grinnell, Iowa. She was a graduate of the High school at Grinnell. She entered Iowa college at Grinnell as a member of the class of '83, but did not graduate with her class, being compelled to leave school and begin teaching as a means of support before her college course was completed. She first taught in the public schools of Bloomfield, Iowa, for two years, then in the public schools of Grinnell for two years. On May 27, 1886, she was married to Dr. George Kessel. Four children were born to them; Martha, aged nine years; Julia, aged six. Helen, three and Gertrude not quite four weeks.
Her death on the morning of Wednesday Jan. 5th, was very unexpected. She had been quite ill, but on the day before her death was feeling much better, but heart disease had been subtily{sic} doing its deadly work with the result of her sudden demise.
The funeral occurred on Friday afternoon from the home, her pastor, Rev. Holmes officiating; the interment being in Oak Lawn cemetery.
Mrs. Kessel was a consistant{sic} member of the Congregational church and a valued worker in the church and its societies and also a helper and alder of all worthy enterprises, and in this capacity, and also in her capacity as a wife and mother and for her social qualities will she be missed by a large crrcle{sic} of friends in Cresco.
The sympathy of all goes out{sic} the Doctor and motherless little ones in their sad bereavement.

Source: Decorah Republican Jan. 13, 1898 P 1 C 4

IT is very sad intelligence that is given in a paragraph from the Cresco Republican announcing the death of Mrs. Geo. Kessel. She had recently given birth to a child, and was hopefully recovering. All appeared going well, but shortly after midnight the nurse was alarmed at a change, and called Dr. K. He came but she soon sank into a sleep that knows no waking. The Plain Dealer gives the following tribute to her worth:
The saddest event that has befallen our city in many months is the unexpected death of Mrs. Dr. Kessel this week. She leaves her husband with four small children, the youngest scarcely a month old. Deceased was one of the noble, refined yet unpretentious women of our city and is universally mourned by Cresco people.

Source: Decorah Republican Jan. 13, 1898 P 3 C 3

Sudden Death of Mrs. Dr. Kessel.
Cresco Rep:—The news of the sudden death of Mrs. Kessel, which occurred about two o’clock this morning from heart failure, startled our community and caused deep sorrow to many a heart. But yesterday Mrs. Kessel was planning for the future, expecting soon to be about the house. About two o’clock her nurse noticed a change and called the Doctor, Mrs. Kessel expiring soon after. She leaves four small children, one an infant but a few weeks old. Mrs. Dr. Clark is expected from Grinnell to-day, when arrangements for the funeral will be made.

Oak Lawn Cemetery
 

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