Rebecca (Foster) Way (1895)

FOSTER, GILLETT, WAY

Posted By: Cay Merryman (email)
Date: 8/3/2004 at 14:34:06

Winterset Reporter, Winterset, Iowa
May 30, 1895, page 4

A NOBLE WOMAN DEAD

At about half past two o'clock last Friday afternoon the sad news winged itself through the community that Mrs. Jacob Way was dead.

She had not been well for about three months, but was at no time confined to her bed, nearly always going to the table for her meals, and at times doing a little light work about the house.

But she was in the grasp of that dreaded and uncertain disease, heart trouble, which claims its victims at times when least expected. On Friday she seemed much better than usual. She had eaten quite a hearty dinner and had lain down to rest and strengthen herself by sleep.

Mr. Way apprehending no danger, had gone up into town and Mrs. Gillett, her daughter, was out in the garden, leaving no one in the house but the hired girl, when Mrs. Way was attacked by one of her spells of the heart. The girl immediately went to her only to see that the struggle between life and death would last but an instant. She ran to the door and called Mrs. Gillett, but before she could reach the bedside of her mother the soul had departed and there remained nothing but a lifeless mass of clay. The last words spoken were "O, dear," as if enduring great pain, but if so, it was only of momentary duration, when all was over and she was at rest.

Rebecca Foster was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, on the 30th day of November 1829. In 1853 she was married to Jacob Way, and in 1859 they moved to Warren county, Iowa, and located on a farm near Wick. They here spent twenty-six of the best years of their life and by close economy and hard work succeeded in accumulating enough of this world's goods to keep them in comfortable circumstances during the remainder of their stay here below.

In 1885 they moved to St. Charles where they have since resided, and enjoyed the confidence and respect of all who knew them.

To them were born eleven children, nine boys and two girls, all living but three boys, one of whom died about five years ago from a cancer. Only two of the children were at home at the time of her death, but the others were immediately telegraphed for and the next evening, B. R. Way, J. W. Way and W. M. Way of Winfield, Kansas and T. P. Way, a stepson of Ottawa, Kansas came to pay their last respects and take a last look at the mother who had toiled and cared for them in their youth.

At the time of her death the candle of life had been burning 65 years 5 months and 24 days.

The funeral services were held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and were conducted by Rev. Ewan.

Mrs. Way was a zealous Christian woman, having been a faithful member of the Methodist church for a great many years. But at last her labors on earth are ended and she has gone to her reward, where will be consummated the work so nobly begun while among her fellow men here below.
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Winterset Madisonian, Winterset, Iowa
Tuesday, May 28, 1895, page 4

Friday afternoon at about two o’clock the intelligence was flashed over the city that Mrs. Jacob Way had breathed her last. This sad news came unexpectedly at that time, for, while Mrs. Way had been an invalid for some months, and her physician had pronounced her case to be a serious and necessarily fatal heart affection, making her death but a question of time, yet on this particular day and at this time she was apparently much better, had arisen from her bed and partaken of a well relished dinner at the table with the family.

After dinner she returned to her room, had laid down on her bed, seemingly enjoying a comfortable rest. Her husband had gone up town on some business, the rest of the family were busied in their home duties, and intending to give her an opportunity to obtain undisturbed rest, when the young woman, who has been assisting them for some time, heard an unusual noise and hastening to the room of the invalid found her in the last gasp of life, uttering only these words, “Oh dear!” Drs. Anderson and Roberts were hastily summoned, but found life extinct, and pronounced the immediate cause as heart failure.

J. M. Foster, who died in the field while plowing last fall of the same cause, was the young brother of the deceased. Mrs. Way was at the time of her death sixty five years of age, the mother of a large family of sons and daughters, the most of whom with their aged father remains to mourn the loss of a noble, Christian wife and mother.

Those who knew this most excellent lady did not (as is too often the case) await the time when she is no more on earth to recognize and appreciate her goodness of heart and nobility of character. Her life was too well filled with unselfish deeds, with genuine Christianity and unpretentious usefulness to pass unnoticed and uncredited.

She was buried in the St. Charles cemetery in presence of a large assemblage of relatives, friends and neighbors on Sunday afternoon. Rev. Ewan of the M. E. church officiating.