Mary Elizabeth (Thomas) Mills (1900)

GATES, MILLS, PATTERSON, SKINNER, THOMAS

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 5/9/2009 at 20:31:17

Winterset Madisonian
Thursday, March 29, 1900
Page 8

Worthington

Since our last, death has entered our midst and verified “One shall be taken and the other left.” Sister Mills, wife of our former pastor, and now residing in Earlham, died at the M. E. hospital in Omaha, where she had been taken for a surgical operation, from which her frail constitution succumbed. She was brought home, and the funeral held at the M. E. church, and which she was laid to rest in the Earlham cemetery. Hers was one of those beautiful lives, so rare and entirely trusted. Her very presence and association was an inspiration to live better. Brother Mills and the two little sons have the respect and sympathy of every resident known to them here.
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Winterset Reporter
Thursday, March 22, 1900
Page 1

Earlham

The funeral of Mrs. M. A. Mills was held last Saturday afternoon at the M. E. church conducted by Rev. Mitchell and Shinn, after which interment at the Earlham cemetery.
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Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
Thursday, March 22, 1900

Mary Elizabeth Thomas was born June 30, 1855, in Washtewaw county, Michigan, and died March 16, 1900, at the Methodist hospital, Omaha, Nebraska, aged forty-four years, eight months and sixteen days.

At the age of twelve she moved with her parents to Chelsea, Michigan, where she received most of her education, graduating from the high school in Milford in 1877, having previously taught two years.

After graduating she came to Iowa, where for eleven years she was connected with the public schools.

She was married May 3, 1883, to M. A. Mills at Melville, Iowa. To them were born three children, David, who died at the age of five, March 19, 1898; Andrew and Mark who with her husband still survive her.

She was converted early in life and has always led a consistent christian’s life.

This is but a brief account of a busy, useful and unselfish life that has just ceased to be among us.

The large audience that packed the M.E. church Sunday afternoon testified to the universal respect and love the people of this community bore to this noble, tenderhearted little woman who has so faithfully and unsparingly filled her place as a tender nurse to an invalid husband, a loving mother to her two boys and a kind responsive neighbor.

She was a strong, efficient worker in the Methodist church where, as a former pastor’s wife, she organized the Junior Epworth League which today, in its 7th year, is a flourishing society of young people.

One of the most fitting things in connection with the funeral services was the selection of the pallbearers from the Ladies Aid Society of which Mrs. Mills was a member—Mesdames W. A. Bickford, Richard Males, C. D. Bricker, J. E. Smith, M. L. Thomson and Chas. Pearson.

A short family service was conducted at the house by the pastor, Rev. Mott Mitchell, at 2 p.m. The corpse was then escorted to the church by the Ladies Aid Society and Junior League, where a public service was held.

The coffin was covered with beautiful wreaths of flowers presented by the escorting societies, also a bouquet of carnations by Mrs. E. S. Fry.

Relations of the deceased present were: Caroline Gates, Exira; Mrs. Marion Skinner, Chicago; Mrs. Mary Patterson, Exira.

Friends from a distance were Prof. Repass and Rev. B. F. Shinn of Dexter.