Mack, George W. 1831-1895

MACK

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 4/3/2012 at 09:39:51

The Grinnell (IA) Herald

--The funeral of Mr. George W. Mack took place at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at Hotel Mack, when the parlors, office, corridors and stairways of the first floor were filled by relatives, friends and neighbors, moved by respect and sympathy with the family who have been so suddenly and terribly shocked and bereaved. The casket stood in the west parlor, covered with wreaths of flowers. A large number of the members of Gordon Granger Post, G.A.R., under Commander Lyman, were seated together in the office. The services were conducted by Rev. Prof. Parker. A quartette, consisting of Messers. Westbrook, Leach, Walker and Harriman sang at the opening, "Nearer, my God, to Thee." Prof. Parker read passages of scripture from Job and the Psalms, and spoke of the limitations and significance of life and the transient character of this state of it. He spoke of the personal history of the deceased, his birth in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, his marriage, his enlistment at the age of 33 in the Union army, his removal to this locality, his life on a farm, his removal to Grinnell owing to the necessity for indoor occupation; of his building the new hotel, which he left as a monument to his industrious life. He also spoke of his own knowledge of Mr. Mack and his ready and hearty response to an appeal for aid for some of the families of the post. He closed with some remarks full of consolation to the bereaved family.

The quartette sang the hymn, Along the River of Time." Prof. Parker closed the exercises with prayer, and the people were given an opportunity to look at the face of the deceased, which was in complete repose, notwithstanding the terrible nature of the injuries to the head. The body was then borne to the hearse by the pall-bearers, Messrs. Frank Wyatt, E.H. Grinnell, J.M. Dawson, P.D. Burton, H.I. Davis, and P.Y. Francisco. An escort of G.A.R. men and a long procession of carriages followed to Hazelwood cemetery, where the closing exercises were held by Prof. Parker, and the quartette sang "Gathering Home."