McConkey, William 1876-1905

MCCONKEY

Posted By: Barbara Hug (email)
Date: 1/26/2005 at 18:44:49

As quietly and noiselessly as the butterfly comes forth from the chrysalis, so left that wonderful something we call life, and he whom we had known as William R. McConkey had awakened from a quiet sleep into the experience which is beyond the stoppage of the heart’s pulses, and had passed through the strange experience called death.

William had never been very strong and well, and the last two months, not as well as usual, but it was only for the past two weeks that he had been under the care of a physician, and his home friends knew that he was quite sick, they did not think there was any cause for alarm. Thursday of last week for the first time he kept his bed most of the day. Friday morning after the doctor had called he turned over in bed and seemed to go to sleep. His mother went into the room several times and found him as she thought still sleeping, and so let a half hour go by, after the time for giving him the medicine, she found that his heart had ceased to beat, that he was at rest.

William was born in November 1876 on a farm about five miles south of this city. He attended the country school and was graduated from the Newton Normal College. Three years ago, just at this time of year, he and his mother moved into their new cottage home on East South Street where his death occurred. Since ten years of age he has been a member of the Congregational Church at Wittenberg.

The funeral was held Sunday in the Congregational Church in this city, conducted by Rev. G. L. Smith. The music was furnished by Mrs. O. N. Wagley, Miss Ora Bess Meredith, Rev. G. L. Smith and Fred Meredith. The bearers were F. S. Graham, Bert Beatty, Tom Buchanan, Simon and Estes Gates and Dr. Ralph Graham. There were many beautiful flowers brought and sent by those who had loved him and who sympathized with the family. The remains were taken to the Wittenberg Cemetery for burial. He leaves beside his mother, Mrs. S. J. McConkey, three sisters, Mesdames Margaret Gates, Bert Beatty, John Munn and a brother, C. C. McConkey.

Those present to attend the funeral from away were Miss Lulu Reed of Des Moines and Dr. Ralph Graham of St. Louis, Mo. ~ The Newton Daily News, Tuesday, January 2, 1906, Page 1, Column 1