Arthur Gordon Aitchison (1928)

AITCHISON, DUFF

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/10/2004 at 21:28:03

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, May 10, 1928
Page 1

Death of Arthur Aitchison

This community was shocked to hear of the sudden death, on Tuesday afternoon, May 8th, of Arthur Aitchison, who resides near Pitzer. Mr. Aitchison has been having heart trouble for some time, but it was not thought to be serious. Tuesday morning he plowed in the field, and after the noon meal, he was greasing a disc. His wife was with him, and he paused in his work and fell over on the ground. She immediately ---- (sentence unreadable ---) but they stated that he died instantly from hardening of the arteries.

Mr. Aitchison was born and spent his early boyhood on a farm, near Andrew, in Jackson county, his parents being James and Jane Aitchison. When a boy of nine, he and his parents came to the Pitzer community where Mr. Aitchison has since resided. On March 9, 1904, he was married to Miss Velma Duff. In 1914, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Aitchison, but it only lived for 17 days.

The Rev. W. C. Porter will conduct the funeral services at the Pitzer church, Friday afternoon, May 11th. The definite hour will not be resided until the relatives from New York and Virginia arrive. Burial will be made in the Earlham cemetery. (he is actually buried at the Eppard – Pitzer cemetery)

Mr. Aitchison’s death is especially sad to his wife, because her mother, Mrs. Robert Duff, died only ten days ago. Besides his wife, he leaves two brothers, Thomas, of New York, and John, of Colorado Springs.
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Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
Thursday, May 10, 1928

The sudden death of Arthur Aitchison at two o’clock Tuesday afternoon after a half hour’s illness came as a profound shock to his friends and a still more crushing blow to those closer to him, especially his beloved companion in life. Arthur was known to have suffered with a form of heart weakness for many years, nevertheless the nearness of his release from his recent illness was not suspected. He was taking x-ray treatments at Winterset, and they were apparently proving beneficial. In fact he ate a hearty meal two hours before his death and in so doing was much cheered by his improvement. After dinner he lay down for an hour’s rest, after which Mrs. Aitchison roused him so that he could proceed with his work and accompanied him to the yard while he proceeded to grease a pulverizer from a 25-pound ball. He complained of fullness in the stomach, and had time to grease only one wheel of the implement before the attack came, taking the form of vomiting and complete prostration. When Mrs. Aitchison took his head in her lap, he told her he was desperately ill and wanted his neighbor Harry Olson summoned at once and his physician, Dr. Hickenlooper, of Winterset. He was beyond human help, however. As soon as Mr. Olson arrived, the dying man was carried into the house, his face already suffused with the purple cyanosis which indicated the complete failure of the heart’s function. A moment later he gasped for breath and was gone.

Heart failure was undoubtedly the contributing and direct cause of death, although there may have been an unsuspected cause back of this condition. Mr. Aitchison had been incapable of sustained work for several years, and his illness dates back at least ten years when he suffered the first attack of cardiac insufficiency. Since that time he has had to reckon almost continually with the dread handicap, witnessing the slow defeat of his physical powers and knowing the hopelessness of an incurable disease. A long, losing fight against hopeless odds, such as those in good health cannot understand. Life was a test of courage under these conditions, but Arthur faced it so uncomplaining that his closest friends rarely suspected that he walked ever in the shadow of death. In his death we appreciate a little better how much nobler it is sometimes to live than to die.

Funeral services will be held at the Pitzer U. P. Church at two o’clock Friday afternoon, conducted by the pastor. The service was deferred until this time to await the arrival of two brothers, Tom from Leroy, New York and John from Colorado Springs, Colo., also Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Edwards, the latter a niece of Mrs. Aitchison, from Charlottesville, Va. Mrs. Aitchison is doubly bereaved on account of the death of her mother Mrs. Robert Duff a few days ago.
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Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
May 1928

Arthur Gordon Aitchison was born Sept. 15, 1889 near Jackson County, Iowa, and departed this life May 8, 1928 at his home near Earlham, in Madison County, Iowa.

He was the youngest of a family of five children born to Mr. James Aitchison and Jane Henderson Aitchison, who came to this state from Scotland in 1873.

With the exception of a few years spent in the west, Mr. Aitchison had lived his entire life in this community. In early years he gave his life into the care and keeping of Jesus Christ, who according to his promise has loved him in the name of the Father in truth and righteousness.

On March 9, 1904 he was united in marriage with Miss Velma Duff. This home was a ---- happy one, and seemed to grow happier as they ---- on together for nearly a quarter century. In 1914 a son James Robert was born to them but God took him back with him in 17 days.

Besides his faithful wife he will be mourned by his brother, Thomas and family, who resides in Ripley, New York, John and family of Colorado Springs, Colo., and other relatives. His two sisters preceded him in death many years ago. He will also be missed by a multitude of friends in the surrounding community who -----(rest is unreadable)

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