WEARIN, Mary Louise (1861-1924)

WEARIN, FOSTER, ROBB, YOST, BURTIS, MARTIN, STEWART, PURCELL, ELLIOTT, BENTON, RENSAELER, GIBSON, GENUNG, ANDERSON

Posted By: Elaine Harrington (email)
Date: 11/12/2006 at 20:54:58

MILLS COUNTY TRIBUNE, GLENWOOD, IOWA
DATED THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 1924

Funeral services for Mrs. A. J. Wearin of Malvern were held at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 12, from the home on Marion Ave. Nearly every community in the county had one or more representatives at the service. The floral offerings silently spoke the regard of friends and relatives. The arrangement of the offerings at the grave was suggestive of a flower bed.

The services at the home were modest. A reading of the thirty-first chapter of Proverbs by former pastor Rev. E. W. Brown, now of Mechanicsville, Ia. An appropriate solo was sung by Mrs. J. M. Steele with Miss Frances Cadwell at piano; a brief prayer by pastor J. J. Brittell of the Presbyterian church and a brief discourse by Rev. Brown completed the ceremony.

Eight citizens from three towns were the pallbearers---Messrs. C. S. Royce, Harry Deardorff, Yandell Seaton, J. E. Randerson, Dr. J. W. Baer, F. B. Rockafellow and C. T. Genung.

Such a woman as Mrs. A. J. Wearin needs no eulogy. Very aptly were the remarks of Rev. Brown when he stated that the words of scripture just read were descriptive of her life. Those who listened to the words from Proverbs, 31st chapter, felt that the inspired writer had truthfully depicted the life of the one who slept in that flower bedecked casket.

Her friends called her Mary because they through the best traditions of that name, throughout history, were very appropriate to her. In her presence you recognize one with whom you could converse with ease. She was sympathetic without affectation. Her every day life brought good cheer and comfort to her family and close friends. Her life was so lived that fear of the future never troubled her. To her Nature and Nature’s God spoke in all of their varied languages. To her life was real, life was earnest. She so lived that when the summons came she obeyed with unfaltering trust.

For near two years she lay a helpless invalid. In that time she received a devotion by husband and son that counted no cost of sacrifice too great.

Our finite minds cannot understand why this lovable Christian woman should be called to suffer an invalidism for so long. It seems one of the mysteries of Providence too deep for our understanding.
One thing she learned, that “no earthly honor equals that of devotion.”

One comfort comes to sorrowing husband and son. They proved to the world by their devotion their blessed favor in having such a wife and mother.

The following brief annals of the life of one who had endeared herself to every one who knew her are given:

Mary Louise Foster was born January 23, 1861, in Marion county, Ill., and passed away at her home in Malvern April 9, 1924, aged 63 years, 2 months and 17 days. In 1879 she was married to Daniel Robb, who, together with an infant son, passed away shortly thereafter.

She was united in marriage with Adelbert Josiah Wearin, September 8, 1885, and to this union were born two sons, Josiah Foster, who with the husband survives, and another son who passed away in infancy. She is also survived by two grandsons, Josiah Foster Wearin, Jr., and Edward Anderson Wearin; 5 sisters: Mrs. Sarah Yost of Alma, Ill., Mrs. Elizabeth Robb of Charter Oak, Ia., Mrs. Mattie Burtis of Akron, Colo., Mrs. Ella Martin of Detroit, Mich., Mrs. Mamie Stewart of Zenia, Ill., and by one brother, W. R. Foster, of Salem, Ill.

She had been confined to her bed for many months, following a stroke of paralysis suffered June 9, 1922. During that time she had the constant care of a devoted husband and son and competent physicians and nurses, but the end was inevitable and she passed peacefully into her eternal rest.

She united with the Presbyterian church of Malvern more than twenty-five years ago and remained a constant worker and regular attendant as long as her health permitted.

Funeral services were held on Saturday afternoon at three o’clock from the late home and were conducted by Rev. E. Winslow brown of Mechanicsville, Ia., a former pastor of the Malvern church and an intimate friends of the deceased.

Those in attendance from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Robb, Miss Grace Robb and Frank Robb of Charter Oak, Ia.; Dan Robb of Spencer, Ia.; Mrs. B. U. Martin of Detroit, Mich.; Mrs. E. J. Burtis and son Earl of Akron, Colo.; Mrs. Dan Purcell of Sac City, Ia.; Mrs. Robert Elliott of Grand Junction, Colo.; Mrs. Edward Benton, Mrs. Jerry Van Rensaeler, Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Gibson of Council Bluffs; Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Genung and Mr. and Mrs. N. S. Genung of Glenwood; Mr. and Mrs. Walter E. Anderson and Gordon Anderson of Red Oak.

The body was interred in the family lot in the Malvern cemetery.