Mary Elizabeth (Price) Shifflett (1960)

CACHIARAS, GEALY, JOHNSON, PRICE, SHIFFLETT, STOCKWELL

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 7/18/2008 at 16:55:22

Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
Thursday, November 17, 1960

OBITUARY

“Who can find a virtuous woman? She is far more precious than jewels. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she shall rejoice in time to come.”

“She opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman, who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

Such a woman was Mary Shifflett, who died at her home in Dexter on November 11, 1960 in the 68th year of her life.

Mary Elizabeth Price, the third of seven children, was born to Walter J. and Nancy Reed Price on June 15, 1893 on a farm in Penn Twp., Madison county, Iowa. In 1895 the family moved to Earlham where Mary received her education in the public schools, graduating in 1911 from the old Academy. In the seven and a half years that followed, she taught in rural schools near Webster City and Earlham, and in the Earlham Public Schools.

On September 8, 1917, she was united in marriage to Scott Shifflett, and the home thus established was one in which the gracious love of God blessed all adversity and hallowed every pleasant family hour. Five children—Paul, Ruth, John, Harry and Esther—were born to share the life of this home.

In 1935 the family moved from Earlham to Dexter, and in this adopted community Mary lived the rest of her life. The last twenty years were spent at the home in northeast Dexter which Mary loved deeply, where she enjoyed entertaining her family and friends, where happiness came from picking a basket of apples or pears for a neighbor, where raking leaves and pulling weeds were part of the melody of her life.

On September 7, 1942, just one day before their silver wedding anniversary Scott Shifflett was taken by death, and from that time Mary looked forward with anticipation and childlike faith to rejoining him in Heaven. In the intervening years she not only continued rearing her own children, but also extended her influence for good into the live of hundreds of other boys and girls as she taught in the Dexter grade school from 1943 to 1959. With the reorganization of the school system she chose to retire from teaching, that she might enjoy more extended visits with her children and grandchildren and have more time for her home and friends. During the last year she had also added another activity which she thoroughly enjoyed—that of clerking on Main Street.

Mary joined the Presbyterian church in Earlham during young womanhood in September 1910, later transferring her membership to the Dexter Presbyterian church. Outside of her home, the church was always the center of her life. She attended regularly through the years, taking part in church activities, often singing in the choir, and in recent months teaching the Junior High Sunday School class.

She belonged to a woman’s Bible Study Group which had been meeting regularly in her home, and they gathered there as usual last Thursday evening. In the course of the study, Mary read a passage from the Gospel of John, recalling that she had read it to her children on the morning of their father’s death eighteen years ago. It was the portion of the eleventh chapter which included the thrilling words, “I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

Mary Shifflett believed this, so her death in the midst of a day’s work on a lovely November afternoon, with a dear friend ministering to her, was a part of life itself. And as one life goes to God, so another comes from Him. Mary’s newest grandchild, a boy, was born very early the next morning, November 12, to Esther and Dick Johnson in California.

Surviving their mother are all five of Mary’s children: Paul of Washington, D.C.; Ruth (Mrs. Robert Gealy) of Gordon, Nebr.; John of Dubuque, Iowa; Harry of Richardson, Texas; and Esther (Mrs. Dick Johnson) of Granada Hills, California; and seventeen grandchildren. She is also survived by one brother, W. F. Price of Earlham, and two sisters, Mrs. G. H. Cachiaras of Minneapolis and Mrs. W. A. Stockwell of Branford, Connecticut.

Grandchildren are: Carol Marie, Dana, Linda and Stephen, children of Paul Shifflett; Mary, Esther, Glenn, David and Bruce, children of Ruth Gealy; Johnny, Peter and Jimmy, children of John; Karen and Scott, children of Harry; and Susan, Janet, Lois and Paul, children of Esther Johnson.

Funeral services were held Monday, November 14, in the Dexter Presbyterian church with interment in the Earlham cemetery.
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Dexter Library Obituary Collection
Dexter, Iowa
November 1960

Service Held Monday For Mrs. Mary Shifflett

Services were held Monday, Nov. 14, in the Presbyterian church for Mrs. Mary Shifflett who passed away late Friday afternoon at the age o 67 years of a coronary thrombosis. She was ill only a short time.

Mrs. Shifflett taught school for many years in Dexter and retired last year. She was a faithful member of the Presbyterian church and the Woman’s Association. Her husband was a former banker in Dexter.

She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Ruth Gaely of Gordon, Nebr., and Mrs. Esther Johnson of California; three sons, John of Dubuque, Harry of Richmond, Texas and Paul of Washington, D. C.; two sisters, Mrs. Esther Stockwell of Bradford, Conn., Mrs. Mable Cochrian of Minneapolis and one brother, W. F. Price of Earlham.

Interment was at Earlham.
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Dexter Library Obituary Collection
Dexter, Iowa
November 1960

Dexter:---The entire Dexter community was deeply saddened late Monday afternoon when death came to Mary E. Shifflett after she had completed a day’s work in her home and yard. It was in the late afternoon on Monday when Mrs. Shifflett, beloved by all who knew her, suffered a heart attack while raking leaves in the large yard of her home place. She telephoned her neighbor, Mrs. Marguerite Atherton who came at once to assist her and to call Dr. Osborn who also came immediately to give medical aid. Mrs. Shifflett’s death occurred in a very short time, and her five children—Paul, Ruth, John, Harry and Esther were notified. All the children excepting Esther who gave birth to a son, Paul Richard on Nov. 12 in Granada Hills, Calif., came home as soon as possible.

Funeral services commemorating the beautifully Christian life of Mary Elizabeth Shifflett were held at two o’clock in the First United Presbyterian church in Dexter on Monday afternoon with the Rev. Albert C. Bullock, pastor of the church in charge. Mrs. John Shepherd provided organ music for the service.

Mrs. John Shifflett of Dubuque played the piano accompaniment for Mary’s brother, William F. Price, as he sang the hymn, “Abide With Me”.

The floral tributes were arranged by Mrs. Marlin Piatt, Mrs. Allen Atherton, and Mrs. O. W. Martin.

The casket bearers were Russell Horn, Russell Ralston, William C. Price, Allen Atherton, Howard Walker and Willis Neal. Dr. C. Robert Osborn and John Moreland were honorary casket bearers. The Roy Evans Funeral Home directed the rites and the interment was made in the Earlham cemetery.

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