Bortell, Adella 1873-1927

BORTELL, GORSUCH, COOK, MARBARGER, REED, WINDHURST, WOODS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 5/26/2010 at 17:24:59

The Grinnell Herald (Grinnell, Iowa) May 24, 1927

NOBLE LIFE REACHES CLOSE

Mrs. E.W. Bortell Died at Her Home in Grinnell May 20, Aged 53

FUNERAL SERVICES WERE HELD MONDAY AFTERNOON.

Mrs. Bortell Was Adella Gorsuch And Was Born in Washington Township.

Adella Gorsuch was born on a farm in Washington Township, Poweshiek County, Iowa, May 29, 1873 and died at her home in Grinnell, May 20, 1927, aged 53 years, 11 months and 22 days. On August 31, 1891, she was united in marriage with E.W. Bortell at Montezuma, Iowa. The first few years of her married life were spent in Grinnell, then for a number of years they lived on a farm, returning to Grinnell twelve years ago.

Mrs. Bortell was the mother of two sons, who with the husband survive her: Clyde Bortell of Marengo, and Donald Bortell of Riverside, Calif. She also leaves one brother, George Gorsuch of Grinnell and five sisters, Mrs. Nellie Cook, Grinnell, Mrs. Flora Marbarger, Tacoma, Wash., Mrs. Emma Reed, New Sharon, Mrs. Windhurst, Williamsburg, and Mrs. Woods, Grinnell.

Early in life Mrs. Bortell united with the Methodist church at Blue Point. She had been in frail health for twenty-five years but during it all was a great worker as strength would permit. She was a great lover of flowers and was very successful in the cultivation of them. Many an elderly man and woman of Grinnell has been the recipients of her flowers and greatly cheered by the remembrance.

Funeral services were held at the Methodist church in Grinnell, Monday afternoon in charge of the Rev. George Blagg. The hymns, "Softly Now the Light of Day," "Going Down the Valley" and "Beautiful Isle" were sung by Mrs. J.H. Rowe and Mrs. Chas. Laros with Mrs. Roscoe Dempster at the piano. Burial was made in the Blue Point cemetery by the side of her father and mother.

Pall-bearers were J.S. Stoaks, Worth Porter, N.O. Pilgrim, J.P. Creamer, M.M. Gregson and Chas. Dexter.

Out of town relatives present at the funeral besides the two sons were Mrs. George Windhurst, Mr. Harve Manor, and sons Floyd and Willard and daughter Bernice of Williamsburg, Iowa, Mrs. Grace Divilbiss, Chicago, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Bump of Monroe, Iowa, Mr. and Mrs. Will Reed and sons, Frank, Elmer and John of New Sharon, Ia., Mr. and Mrs. (the rest is missing..)