Van Epps, Ida (Reynolds) 1868-1897

VAN EPPS, REYNOLDS

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 5/14/2005 at 19:13:37

The Newton (IA) Record Friday, July 25*(23), 1897
Death of Mrs. Harry Van Epps

Van Epps, Ida (Reynolds)

Mrs. Harry Van Epps died at her home in this city on Friday morning, July 16th, after a lingering illness of many months of that dreadful disease, consumption.

Mrs. Ida Van Epps was born in Vermillion County, Ill., November 8, 1868. She was the daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Reynolds, who came to this county when Ida was but four years of age and settled on a farm in Buena Vista Township, where her childhood and early womanhood were spent.

She was united in marriage with Harry Van Epps December 4, 1889. To them have been born two children, Percy Reynolds five years old, and Nellie Grace 13 months. Two years ago Mr. and Mrs. Van Epps moved to Newton from the farm on which they had resided since their marriage.

Mrs. V. was converted to the Pleasant View M. E. Church in Buena Vista Township when but thirteen years of age, under the pastorate of Rev. I. O. Kemble, and her life has ever since been of the purest type of Christian womanhood, ever zealous in the work of the church she loved and in the service of the Master whom she worshipped.

For the past year she had been gradually fading away and fully realized that the end was not far distant; but through all her suffering she maintained her Christian faith and integrity, relying implicitly on God’s promises. While she had a strong desire to live for the sake of her husband and little ones and those whom she loved, if it was His will that she be taken she was perfectly resigned and willing to go. When the final summons came she was perfectly conscious, and after calling her loved ones to her bedside, bade each goodbye and gently dropped to sleep.

The funeral services were held in the M. E. Church at 3 o’clock Sunday afternoon, conducted by Rev. C. V. Cowan. One of the largest audiences that has ever assembled there on a similar occasion was present ­ a large number coming from the old neighborhood in Buena Vista where the deceased had spent so many years of her life and where she had been so dearly loved and esteemed by all. The singing was by the M. E. Church choir, very beautiful and impressive, and the profusion of beautiful flowers spoke more eloquently than words of the place held by Mrs. Van Epps in the heart of her friends. She had been a member of the Rebekah Lodge and her’s was the first death that had occurred since its organization. The ladies of the lodge attended the funeral as a body and with their beautiful services conducted the last sad rites at the cemetery.

Besides her husband and children, deceased leaves a widowed mother, three brothers and two sisters ­ the father having died about five years ago. To the sorrowing ones is extended the heartfelt sympathy of all in their great affliction.

Originally submitted on Mon Aug 26 18:03:01 2002