Rachel (Garwood) Conrad (1923)

CONRAD, GARWOOD, BUSH

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 2/1/2009 at 14:25:09

Earlham Echo – March 29, 1923
Earlham, Iowa

On the 12th day of August, 1867 a baby daughter Rachel came to bless the home of John and Asenath Garwood at their home in Salem, Ohio. She was the youngest of a family of eight children, consisting of four girls and four boys. Only three of this large family now survive, S. P. Garwood, residing at Damascus, Ohio, J. D. Garwood, of Osceola, Iowa, and Mrs. John Bush, of Salem, Ohio. Four children, two girls and two boys, Ann Eliza, Elizabeth, Filmore and Lewis preceded her to the distant country.

In 1882, when Rachel was fifteen years old, the family moved to Clark County, Iowa, and five years later to the vicinity of Earlham. On the 31st day of December, 1890 her life came to its greatest fulfillment in her marriage to Lloyd C. Conrad. For thirty-two years these two have walked the pathway of life together, three sons John N., Alva B. and Earl C. meanwhile coming to bless their union. In 1893 the family moved to Kansas, but returned two years later. They moved in 1899 to Stuart, returning to Earlham in 1907 where they have continued to reside until the present time.

This life was singularly rich, first in its devotion to Christian principles and after that to her family. Mrs. Conrad was a birthright member of the Friends Church, and at an early age consecrated her life to the Lord’s service. It is in this word that we find the keynote to this fine woman’s life. All through the years she has lived for others. All her joy, her ambition in this world was wrapped up in service to God and her family. Where suffering was, and where labor for her church offered, there she loved to be. The memory of her in these humble walks of life is very sweet to those who are left to mourn. Wordly rank and honor were not hers, nevertheless she truly attained the supreme destiny of humanity in her faithful devotion to God and her fellows. About ten years ago she became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and continued there until her death.

A few months ago the shadow of dread disease fell across her life and medical science could do naught to stay the progress of the destroyer. Weeks of suffering followed, trying the faith which could not be broken, which would not yield the least part of its sublime confidence in the glorious future. And so, just at dawn on March 23, 1923 she fell asleep, and all that was mortal of Rachel Conrad ceased to be. But her spirit is still with those whom she loved on earth, and sometime in the radiant dawn of a new tomorrow, shall they not see her face to face as she was in that dear yesterday, the mother light glowing in her eyes?

Funeral services were held at the Methodist Church at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, conducted by Rev. P. J. Allwell, interment was in Earlham Cemetery.

Gravestone Photo
 

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