Sarah Ellen (BYERS) CURRIE

BYERS, CURRIE, WEIS, BRAYMAN

Posted By: Sharon R. Becker (email)
Date: 11/20/2008 at 10:37:05

The Mount Ayr Record-News, 1923

OBITUARY - SARAH ELLEN CURRIE

Sarah Ellen, daughter of John and Margaret (WEIS) BYERS, was born at Charlestown, Va., August 7, 1835, and died at Wenona, Ill., January 13, 1923, being eighty-seven years, five months and six days old.

The BYERS and WEIS families were of the early colonial stock and from both sides of the family she inherited a disposition which she cultivated all her life along the lines of the best of literature and intellectual tastes. Her girlhood home was Hagerstown, Md., where she was a member of the English Lutheran church. Here she witnessed many of the stirring scenes of the Civil war. She was the only girl in a family of seven children. Two brothers, George N. and Charles C. BYERS, survive. They reside in Kansas City, Mo. and were unable to be present at the funeral owing to the infirmities of age.

In the month of June, 1868, she was married to John CURRIE. Their home was at Oak Grove, Wis., until 1872; then at Afton, Iowa, and a year later they moved to Mount Ayr. The children are John Byers, of Mount Ayr, William Kenneth, of Butternut, Wis., and Mrs. Helen Margaret BRAYMEN, of Wenona, Il. We also name the twins, Howard and Harold, who died in infancy.

Mrs. CURRIE was a woman of strong religious convictions and a supporter of the church. She was a beautiful woman and possessed a wonderful character. As an early settler of Mount Ayr she made a definite imprint for high standards and morality in this community. The remembrance of her by all who knew her is that of a lady of marked refinement, a beautiful christian character and a charming personality.

Here are some verses whe wrote which show her practical taste.

LET THEM REST
Still let them rest on Flander's Field,
Our boys so quiet there,
Do not disturb their loyal dust,
They're in God's loving care.
Oh, open not the grief afresh,
Of those who sorrow here,
For God is just, and Him they trust,
That they will meet somewhere.

For this they died, that we who live,
May know a world at peace;
And now, as in the years to come,
The din of war will cease.

Then let them rest on Flander's field,
And undisturbed still sleep,
For God is there as everywhere
And He His watch will keep.

There was a brief service at the home in Wenona, Ill., January 14, and the funeral from the home of her son in Mount Ayr at 2 p.m. January 15, conducted by Rev. W. L. TORRENCE, pastor of the United Presbyterian church, assisted by Rev. Edgar PRICE, pastor of the Christian church. The interment was in Rose Hill cemetery [Mount Ayr].

Card of Thanks.

We wish to express our sincerely thanks to all the friends, old and new, who were so considerate in rendering those little touches of sympathy and service in connection with the burial of our mother.

MRS. GEO. K. BRAYMEN.
MR. and MRS. JOHN B. CURRIE
W. K. CURRIE

NOTE: John CURRIE, husband of Sarah Ellen (BYERS), was born on October 5, 1827, and died January 19, 1897, with interment at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr. John Byers CURRIE, son of John and Sarah Ellen (BYERS), was born January 27, 1888, and died October 5, 1946, with interment at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr, Iowa.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, 2008