Harry E. Shifflett (1943)

HUNT, KEEL, ROWEN, SHIFFLETT

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 7/21/2006 at 21:55:59

Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
Thursday, September 2, 1943

Harry E. Shifflett, son of Nelson and Mary Hunt Shifflett, was born October 6, 1864, near Ohio Station in Bureau county, Illinois. He grew to manhood on the homestead on which he was born, and on December 30, 1886, he was united in marriage to Della Keel. to this union four children were born--Scott, Elma, Grant and Pearl--Scott and Pearl having preceded their father in death.

Mr. Shifflett and his family lived for ten years in the old Illinois home place, and in 1900 they moved to Hamilton county, Iowa, settling in Madison county in 1901. He farmed west of Winterset and in the Pitzer neighborhood for six years, and following that period he was in business in Earlham for ten years. In 1917, after the children were away from home, he and Mrs. Shifflett moved to a farm in Ringgold county. Here they stayed until November, 1942, when, retiring from the farm, they returned to their old home in Earlham. This was where he died on August 25, 1943, following a nine weeks illness, at the age of 78 years, 10 months and 19 days.

Harry Shifflett was a man who loved life, and who lived it with every fiber of his being. He was keen and alert and a "good feeler", with a witty remark or a funny story to fit every situation. Even during the pain and discouragement of the illness which preceded his death, he never lost his alertness or his capacity for humor.

His circle of friends and acquaintances was wide, for no one was ever a stranger to him. He was outspoken in his opinions, but his convictions were firm and sincere and were based upon sound principles, and he was respected for them. He was intensely interested and well read in current affairs--especially politics--and his judgment in those matters carried a great deal of weight with his associates. He served at various times as township trustee and on the school board in the communities in which he lived.

But, ahead of everything else, Mr. Shifflett was interested in his family--first his own children, and later in his grandchildren and great grandchildren, to whom "Grandpa Shifflett" was a symbol of honesty and uprightness, or hearty good cheer and laughter and fun. He was a Christian gentleman, and the world needs more men like him.

He is survived, besides his loving and devoted wife, by one son, Grant Shifflett of Diagonal, one daughter, Mrs. Elma Rowen of Des Moines, nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Today his place is empty, and it is lonesome where he used to be--but God, in His infinite wisdom, has called him, who lived so fully, to an even more joyful life beyond.

Funeral services, in charge of Rev. S. R. Overholser, were held at the Shifflett home on Friday, August 27, at 2:00 p.m. Mrs. H. A. Foster and Mrs. R. W. Godby sang two hymns, "In the Garden" and "Jesus Saviour, Pilot Me", and Mrs. Foster sang "The City Four-Square" as a solo. Burial was in the Earlham cemetery.

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