Lucile Burke (1911)

BURKE, PALMER

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 8/26/2007 at 09:55:02

Earlham Library Obituary Collection
Earlham, Iowa
1911

SAD DEATH OF EARLHAM GIRL

MISS LUCILE BURKE DIES OF POISON

Great Destroyer Wrecked a Happy Home Friday.

One of the saddest deaths in Earlham’s history was that which occurred Friday when Miss Lucile Burke took her own life. The tragedy came as a profound shock to Miss Burke’s sister Mrs. Harry Palmer and to her local friends, who had seen her about town only a few hours previous, apparently in normal health and spirits. But it appears that she had suffered for several years with nervous trouble and this, being aggravated by her school work led to the temporary derangement which must have preceded the unfortunate set.

Miss Burke was found unconscious in bed by her sister during the noon hour Friday with the unmistabkable burns of carbolic acid upon her lips and tongue. The poison must have been taken half an hour before, and its deadly work was all too completely done to be set aside by medical skill. Dr. Irvin and Harry labored for fifteen minutes with stomach pump, stimulants and artificial respiration but all in vain. At 1:30 o’clock Miss Burke passed away without regaining consciousness.

Miss Burke was born on the 14th of August 1893 in Adair County, south of Dexter. While she was only four years old her mother died, and a year later she was taken into the home of her only sister Mrs. Harry Palmer and there during fourteen years she has grown to maturity under influences as ideal as those of parenthood. The past year she spent at Normal school in Cedar Falls in preparation for teaching primary work. With the closing of the school year six weeks ago she came to Earlham, and here were spent the last weeks of her short life.

Lucile’s was a character worthy of emulation. Her disposition was singularly peaceful and her tastes simple, and her life was as far from material as could be possible in this world of materialism. She was devoted to Christianity since childhood, joining the Presbyterian Church of Dexter about a year ago. By all who knew her she was loved for her modest nature and gentle manner, and the memory of her will always be as that of a violet with its purity and shyness.

The funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Palmer. Rev. Demaree delivered a brief address assisted by Rev. Bethel, of Dexter, and a male quartette furnished music. Interment was made in Dexter cemetery, the services consisting simply of a prayer by Rev. Bethel. The casket was covered with beautiful lilacs and carnations, a last loving tribute to the young girl whose soul had taken its flight to the distant country.