Coutts, Alveretta (Farley) 1860-1930

COUTTS, FARLEY, GEORGE, NORTON

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 2/14/2010 at 09:58:34

Grinnell, Iowa newspaper dated Nov. 28, 1930

USEFUL LIFE REACHES CLOSE

Alveretta Farley, daughter of Richard and Mary Jane Farley, was born at Ellenburg Center, Clinton County, New York, March 23, 1860, and died at her home in Grinnell, Iowa, November 24, 1930, aged seventy years, eight months and one day.

In the spring of 1880, when twenty years of age, she left her native state, came West, with her parents and settled at Ewart, Iowa.

On September 15, 1881, she was united in marriage with Robert G. Coutts at Ewart, Iowa, at which place their new home was established. There they continued to live until July 25, 1885, when they moved to Grinnell which has been their home ever since.

Unto this home have been born four sons and four daughters. The eldest daughter, Mable May, died in early childhood. Those surviving their mother are Ross Vincent of Grinnell, Harry Gordon and Dwight Robert of Chicago, Illinois, Hazel Ruth of Iowa City, Iowa, Helen Jane, now Mrs. Russell C. George of Grinnell, Grace Darling, now Mrs. Sereno G. Norton of Brunswick, Georgia, and Ray Clark of Grinnell, all of whom were present at the funeral.

Mrs. Coutts was a great lover of her home; in fact her kingdom was her home, her family were her jewels and no self sacrifice was too great for her to make where the interests of her family were involved. Her keen mentality, sound judgment and happy faculty of alway seeing the bright side of things made a happy home and will leave a lasting impression upon her family and friends.

In January, 1881, she was converted and united with the M.E. church and has continued to be a faithful and loyal member of the same and a regular attendant at all its services up to the time she was stricken with her last illness. She could be depended upon to do her part in all the activities in which the women of the church were engaged.

On October, 1929, she was stricken with a fatal disease and entered the Community Hospital for treatment. After spending several weeks there she went to the Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minnesota, for examination and was treated at the Colonial Hospital at Rochester for a number of weeks. She was discharged from this hospital in time to return home for the Christmas Season when the entire family were privileged to be with Mother for the last time as a group.

Throughout the long winter months she was confined to her room but as the warm days of Spring developed she showed some signs of improvement, so much so that she was able to leave her room, move about and even attend to minor household duties.

About November 1st she suffered a severe relapse and was again confined to her room. She again showed signs of improvement and on Monday last at 7:00 p.m. expressed herself as feeling better than she had for several weeks, but in less that fifteen minutes, without the least warning, the end came and she passed into her Eternal Sleep.

Thus departed a noble woman whose life was spent in the interest of others. She will be greatly missed in the home where she was the center of attraction. No more faithful and loyal wife, nor more devoted mother ever lived than she. "Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also and he praiseth her."

Her youngest daughter, Grace, while on her long trip home to attend the funeral, penned the following appreciation--

MOTHER

The thread is cut, the family circle's
broken,

Our hearts in anguish cry--"she's gone, she's gone,"

And tho we weep those human tears
of sadness

To think no more our feet shall travel
to her side,

Nor eyes shall see the careworn face,
the tired hands,

Hands, crippled thru those years she
gave herself

For us. In endless days she labored
for each one.

In feverish haste she fed our fast re-
turning wants,

She guarded each with that strong
will of hers,

Her body had acquaintance not with
rest and peace,

She was a dynamo of constancy and
Mother love.

So, shall we weep? Grudge not to her
the prize

God gives to all who labor for Him
here.

A thrice earned crown adorned with
jewels is hers

So let her tired heart go now to rest.

Good-night, dear Mother ours, and
pleasant dreams,

And when the glad new morning
breaks above,

May each of us be there to clasp
again your breast.

And be a perfect circle with you for
evermore.

Besides her sons and daughters, already mentioned, she leaves to mourn her loss her beloved husband, eight grandchildren, two sons-in-law, three daughters-in-law, one sister, Miss Mamie J. Farley of Grinnell, and a host of friends.

The funeral services were conducted Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the M.E. Church by her pastor, Rev. A.B. Cadwell, who delivered a helpful address choosing as his text a very appropriate text from Mark 14:8: "she hath done what she could." Interment was made upon the family lot in Hazelwood Cemetery.

The pall bearers were C.S. George, Fred Heinle, George C. Murray, T.S. Mason, N.O. Pilgrim, and G.O. Watland.