ATHERTON, Lulu Chute 1872-1897

ATHERTON, CHUTE

Posted By: Marilyn O'Connor (email)
Date: 2/25/2012 at 11:44:44

OBITUARY

Death of Mrs. E. M. Atherton

The people of Osage were not prepared for the announcement on Tuesday that Mrs. T. M. Atherton was dead. It was known that she was not well. Few of her intimate friends knew that her condition was critical. The announcement of her death was therefore a shock to the whole community. Experssions of genuine sorrow were heard on every hand. A very wide circle of friends feel that in her loss they have suffered a personal bereavement.

Mrs. Lulu Chute Atherton was born in Osage, Iowa, November 26, 1872, and died November 9, 1897. Here she passed her happy girlhood, here she grew to womanhood, here she was married, and here she lived to cheer and gladden the lives of others. She passed through all the grades of our public schools and graduated in the class of 1890. It is only seven years since as a light-hearted girl she received her diploma from high school and saw life in the roseate hues of happy youth.

In former years she was a faithful member of the Endeavor Society and in September of 1892 she united with the Congregational church of this place on confession of faith. She was the first one thus received in the present pastorate. On the 27 of September, 1894, standing in the same place where she had taken upon herself the vows of the church, she took upon herself the marriage vow and promised to be faithful to her husband so long as life should last. How many experiences came to her in those three years.

The happy bride, the loving wife, the devoted mother, the affectionate daughter, the sympathetic sister,the kind and considerate friend-all these she was. Her circle of friends was as wide as the circle of her acqaintances. Her warm affectionate, unselfish nature won for her the truest friends. She brought sunshine and gladness into her own home and into other homes as well. Her memory is a blessed heritage.

Her husband, Mr. T. M. Atherton of the Press, a beautiful little girl two years old, her parents, a sister, a wide circle of other relatives and friends mourn her untimely death.

The funeral service was held on Thursday afternoon and was conducted by Rev. W. W. Gist. The attendance was very large, including her old classmates, her friends in the church and society, and scores of those who had learned to admire and love her rare beauty of character. Her pastor gaave a short address from the text, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever." He spoke on the uncertainty of life and paid a warm tribute to Mrs. Atherton's true nobility of character, saying that beauty of character is the only beauty that never dies. He exorted her old associates to make the most of life by seeking to make each other happy.

Osage News
November 17, 1897