Emma Shew 1891 - 1914

SHEW, CARRIGAN, STORY

Posted By: Judy Kelley, volunteer (email)
Date: 3/23/2010 at 20:41:48

Source: LCHS scrapbook, handwritten date of Dec. 16, 1914

PROMINENT YOUNG LADY SUCCUMBS

Miss Erma Shew Passed Away Early Wednesday.

PNEUMONIA WAS CAUSE

Miss Shew Died in Wapello at Home of Grandmother - Had Been Ill For Some Time, But Not Seriously Until Last Friday - Chose to do Duty Before Looking After Health - Death Was Her Reward

This community was greatly grieved by the announcement of the untimely death of Miss Erma Shew, one of our best known teachers and a young lady who was admired for her ability and energy in school work. She was a graduate of the Wapello high school in 1910, and was making a great success in the field of teaching.

Erma Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Shew was born five miles north of Wapello, on the old homestead of Grandfather Shew, August 26, 1891, and passed to her reward at the home of her grandmother, Mrs. Mary Carrigan, Dec. 16, 1914, aged 23 years, 3 months and 20 days.

As a student in school she was very industrious and ambitious. After graduating from the rural school she entered Wapello high school from which she graduated with the class of 1910, carrying off the highest homors of her class. She immediately commenced teaching, teaching one year and a half at Walnut Dell, two years at Fairview, and at the time of her death was teaching at Pine Grove.

This last summer she attended Summer School at Iowa Wesleyan college where she took a course in Domestic Science and Agriculture to better fit herself for the work of teaching. She was a faithful, earnest, painstaking teacher, always thinking of her pupils and planning for their welfare and betterment.

She was of a loving, industrious, helpful disposition and was the light, joy and hope of the home. Her loved ones learned to rely on her implicitly.

Always a good girl, yet she realized her need of accepting Christ as her Saviour, and last winter gave her heart to God and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church of Fairview, of which she was a faithful member.

About three weeks ago she took a severe cold that seemed to grow worse. She finally consulted a physician, who advised her to remain in and not teach. Her mother wanted her to remain at home till she got better, but she said she could not bear to disappoint the children about their Christmas program. Duty called louder to her than personal comfort and she stayed in the school room til Friday evening. She started for her home but felt too ill to go all the way so stopped at the home of her grandmother Carrigan in Wapello. Physicians and loved ones did all in their power but pneumonia had set in and she grew rapidly worse until the end came Wednesday at 2:30 a.m. Only a few minutes before her death she told her mother where all the Christmas gifts were that she had made for the family, bade them all goodbye and with a smile passed to her home beyond. She leaves to mourn her loss her parents, one brother, William Orland, two sisters, Mable and Lucile, an affianced husband, John Story, two grandmothers and a host of relatives and friends who deeply mourn her early death. Three other children of the family preceded her in death.

Funeral services will be held from the M.E. church, Wapello, Friday morning, December 18, at 10 o'clock, conducted by Rev. A.W. McBlain. Interment in Indian Creek cemetery.