Catherine "Josephine" STAHL
STAHL, TALLEY, KING, BEALL
Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 9/6/2010 at 00:12:59
The Ringgold Record, 1934
OBITUARY - CATHERINE JOSEPHINE STAHL
Catherine Josephine STAHL died at the Methodist hospital, Des Moines, Iowa, at 3"30 a.m. Monday, October 8, 1934, as the result of shock following a broken hip on October 4.
She was the third daughter of Michael and Mary TALLEY STAHL, and was born December 2, 1860, on the STAHL homestead in the northwest part of Ringgold county. She obtained her education in the public schools of the county and at Simpson College and had her last two years of college work at Northwestern University, graduating in 1892. In September of that year, she was accepted as the first missionary sent out by the students of Northwestern University and was appointed to India. She sailed on Thanksgiving day of that year. She has made in the 38 years since she volunteered to go, five trips to Inda and return. Four times she returned on furlough. In 1930 she was retired and returned to the United States and to Mount Ayr to make her home with her sister, Mrs. Randolph BEALL. She continued her relationship with the Northwestern Branch of the Woman's Foreign Missionary society and was therefore not in close contact with active work in the Des Moines branch.
While on her first term of service she lost by death her mother, two sisters and one nephew. It was while she was serving this first term that the Darjeeling disaster [flood] occurred. The school of which she was principal was destroyed by a landside, and in the night she was able to lead the pupils of her school to safety with the exception of three who lost their lives.
During her 38 years of service, all of which were spent in India with the exception of three years spent in Rangoon, Burma, she was principal of Girls High Schools. During the last 15 years she was principal of Queen's Hill high school in Darjeeling. Her work was always of a high order and her pupils ranked among the highest in government tests. And not only were her pupils excellent in the type of work done, but always there was before them the fine type of Christian character that led many of them to the knowledge of the Christ as their own personal Savior and Lord.
The beginnings of her Christian life ws in the training that came from a fine home life. Early in life her decision was made to give her heart to Jesus Christ and her life to Christian work. She was active as a Sunday School teacher, and as a teacher in the public schools of Ringgold county and at Corning she laid high emphasis on the matter of character and her Christian example was an inspiration to many young people to build for the higher standards of life.
Since coming home for retirement she has been active in the work of the church and the community. For two years she was president of the Mount Ayr W.C.T.U. from which position she retired when she and her sister, Miss Eva STAHL, went this fall to Indianola for the college year. She has been interested in every movement that would make a better community. It was the joy of her life to be of service. When anyone came to her for help on any matter, she gave herself to it in an exhaustive way, and was always eager to do any task well.
She is survived by two sisters, Mrs. C. M. KING and Miss Eva StAHL of Mount Ayr, and one brother, William Sherman STAHL, and his wife, of Chicago. She is also survived by a sister-in-law, Mrs. Nannie STAHL, of Osceola, and two brothers-in-law, Charles M. KING and Randolph S. BEALL, of Mount Ayr, with the latter of whom she has made her home. She is survived also by ten nieces and two nephews, and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon, October 9, at the Methodist church in Mount Ayr, conducted by the pastor, Dr. M. R. TALLEY, and interment was in the Bethel cemetery near Diagonal.
Submission by Mike Avitt
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2010
Catherine "Josephine" STAHL biography
Ringgold Obituaries maintained by Tony Mercer.
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