Rickerson, Eunice 1841-1932

RICKERSON, LANGWORTHY, KELSEY, ABBOTT, PEXTON, DELAHOYDE, PORTER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 12/26/2011 at 23:07:12

IN MEMORIAM TO OLD TIMER

"Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age like as a shock of corn cometh in his season."

Eunice Rickerson, fulfilled this Scripture, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 1932, at Los Angeles, Calif., after several weeks of patient suffering. The end came peacefully at the ripened age of 91 years, and 7 months and her burial was in Forest Lawn cemetery Friday, Aug. 5.

Eunice Langworthy Rickerson was born in LeRoy, N.Y., Feb. 24, 1841, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Langworthy, sister of Lucy Kelsey, Maria Abbott Pexton, and Laura Delahoyde, all of whom had preceded her to that Eternal Home where partings are no more, and were waiting to bid her welcome.

With her parents she moved to Grinnell, Iowa, in 1855. On November 22, she was married to Rev. F.D. Rickerson, who was the first settled pastor of the Baptist church under whom the church was organized in 1858, with twenty charter members. Just before her marriage Mr. Rickerson had accepted a call to the Baptist church of Moline, Ill., so the young couple left immediately following the wedding for their new field.

Dr. Rickerson entered into his rest in Phoenix, Ariz., in March, 1896. Since 1913, Los Angeles had been Mrs. Rickerson's home. She is survived by her daughter, Mrs. May Porter, four grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and other relatives.

Eunice Rickerson's life nearly spanned the century, and she spent it all for people--people were her life. Friendly, sympathetic, tender, she was ever brightening the lives of others. She radiated friendliness to every one everywhere. She died as she had lived and lived as she died--a Christian in the fullest sense of the term. Now she has slipped away from us as calmly as the sun sets. And as we sit in the after-glow of her life and meditate of her we say: "She has fought a good fight, she has finished her course. Henceforth there is laid up for her a crown of righteousness." She has won her crown:

The following lines portray her life:

WHAT I LIVE FOR

I live for those that love me,
Whose hearts are kind and true,
For the Heaven that smiles above me
And awaits my spirit too;
For all human ties that bind me,
For the task by God assigned me,
For the bright hopes yet to find
me
And the good that I may do.

I live to hold communion
With all that is divine;
To feel there is a union
"Twixt nature's heart and mine;
To profit by affliction,
Reap truths from fields of fiction,
Grow wiser with conviction
and fulfill each grand design.

I live for those who love me,
For those who know me true;
For the heaven that smiles above me,
And awaits my spirit too.
For the cause that lacks assistance,
For the wrong that needs resistance,
For the future in the distance
And the good that I may do.