Nellie May Bretz

BRETZ, BAKER, METCALF, SWEARINGEN, LIGHT, GABRIEL

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/9/2019 at 13:31:16

Columbus Gazette, October 3, 1935, page 1

Nellie May, second child of Robert and Jane (Baker) Metcalf, born October 24, 1873 near Columbus City, Iowa, departed this life at her home near Morning Sun, Iowa, Saturday morning, September 28, 1935 after an extended illness. She was aged 62 years, 11 months and 4 days.

She attended the grade school at Columbus City, Iowa and later attended school and graduated from Washington high school, Washington, Iowa with the class of 1892. She taught school then in and around Columbus City for some time.

She was united in marriage June 10, 1897 to Chas. L. Bretz of Columbus City, Iowa. To this union were born four children, Priscilla, wife of George Swearingen, Winfield, Iowa; Glen, Chicago, Illinois; Hugh, at home; Russell, Wapello, Iowa. Her husband and children, with a brother, Will Metcalf of East Sound, Washington, nine grandchildren, several nieces and nephews survive.
Her parents, one sister, Mrs. Carrie Light, one brother, Charles, preceded her in death.

Mrs. Bretz had spent her entire life in and near Columbus City, Iowa except for a short period when the family resided in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
Socially, Mrs. Bretz was a member of the C. E. Circle of the Evangelical church and a longtime member of the Oakland Social club.

From early girlhood she has been an active church worker and was a charter member of the Evangelical Church of Cairo, Iowa, always doing her Master's will.

The Clock of Time is wound but once,
And no man has the power
To tell, just when the hands will stop
At late, or early hour.
Now is the only time we have,
Live, love, toil with a will,
Place no faith in tomorrow
For the clock may then be still.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the Evangelical church at Cairo and were conducted by the pastor, the Rev. Leslie Deedrick and and a nephew of the deceased, the Rev. John H. Gabriel, pastor of the Newcomb Memorial church of Davenport.

A quartet the members of which were: Mrs. T. A. Wykert, Mrs. Rex Enke, Miss Betty Tieman and Miss Geneva Tindall with Mrs. J. W. Briggs at the piano sang: "The Old Rugged Cross", "Beulah Land" and "There Is No Night There".

The pallbearers were: Wm. Johansmeier, Thede Boysen, J. O. Hall, Roy Aringdale, Otto Miller, J. W. Briggs.

The flowers of which there were many were cared for by Mrs. Otto Miller.

The service was largely attended and many were unable to be seated, attesting to the high esteem in which Mrs. Bretz and her family were held by all who knew her.

Interment in the Columbus City cemetery