Elizabeth C. (Townley) Epperly (1922)

EPPERLY, TOWNSLEY, ADAMS, PARSONS, DUNHAM

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 12/19/2014 at 15:11:58

Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
Thursday, January 19, 1922
Page 1

Mrs. Elizabeth C. Epperly, a resident in the Earlham community for many years, passed away at the J. L. Fry home at one-thirty o’clock Saturday morning, following her husband to the eternal kingdom after only slightly over a year’s lapse of time. Her last illness was brief, although she had been ailing for a couple of weeks. Only about twelve hours before her death a physician was summoned to treat her for heart trouble, but the case had passed beyond mortal help. At midnight she began to fail rapidly, although retaining full consciousness, and in the early watches of the morning the soul which had been given to the world over sixty-six years ago slipped quietly out into eternity.

Elizabeth C. Townsley was born May 12, 1855 in Muscatine County, Iowa and was reared in the Cranston neighborhood. When a young lady she met and married William H. Epperly. After the union of their lives they settled on a farm in Mahaska County. One child, Walter, was born to them, but he died at the age of sixteen. From Mahaska County, the couple moved to Red Willows, Nebr., where they resided fourteen years. From Nebraska they moved with the T. J. Parsons family to Madison County, settling on a farm near North Branch, but the families became dissatisfied with this country and Mr. and Mrs. Epperly moved to a farm in Dallas County near that now occupied by N. A. Nelson. The last move was made a few years later to the Stribling farm, which was their home until the death of Mr. Epperly on Dec. 8, 1919. Since that time Mrs. Epperly has made her home in Earlham.

When a young girl Mrs. Epperly united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and remained a faithful member of that institution until the Lord called her to receive the reward of the faithful.

There remain to mourn her passing the following brothers and sisters: ---- Townsley, of Brow--, Kansas, Oscar E. Townsley, of Branston, Iowa, Mrs. J. K. Adams, of Lyons, Nebr., Mrs. Sarah Parson, of Earlham, and Mrs. Dell Dunham, of Batavia, Iowa. The final funeral service was held at Oak Grove Church in Muscatine County, conducted by Rev. E. L. Shaffer, of Cranston. Interment was made in Oak Grove Cemetery.

A short service was held at the J. L. Fry home here Sunday morning, conducted by Rev. P. J. Allwell, a sorrowful company of old friends and neighbors gathering at the --- of Mrs. Epperly to pay a last earthly tribute. The remains were then accompanied to Cranston by Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Parsons.