Bryce, Marilla Otis

BRYCE, OTIS

Posted By: Lorelei Rusco (email)
Date: 6/24/2011 at 20:30:55

Bryce, Marilla Otis -
Manila Bryce departed this life at her home in Clearfield Thursday,Oct.19th, aged 81 years, 6 months. She was born in Coshocton Co.,Ohio, and here was her home until she was about sixteen years of age when she came west. Since that time Ringgold and Taylor counties in Iowa, have been her permanent home. Mr. and Mrs. Bryce lived in other places for a few years, in Union County, Iowa; Washington, D. C ; and Omaha, Nebraska. It was in Omaha in 1914 that Mrs. Bryce suffered the loss of her beloved companion. Besides the loss of Mr. Bryce there preceded her two of her children, John and Mettie. Of the immediate family there survive three sons and a daughter. The sons are:—William Lavery of Gravity; Charles and Thomas Bryce of Omaha; the daughter, Mrs. W. B. Bobbins of Omaha. There survive also five sisters and a brother:—Jane Otis of Gravity, Ann Otis of Clearfield, Mrs. V. W. Freeman of Clarinda, Mrs. C. Prellers of Texarkana, Texas. Mrs. F. A. Youngberg of Omaha, and Ezekiel Otis of Grand Junction, Colorado. She also leaves four grand-children.

Mrs. Bryce became interested in the finer and religious life in early years, and as a mere girl became a member of the Baptist church

Thus closes the earthly career of one of Iowa's choice souls. Into the life and imprint of our state and community there is built beyond removal this enduring part of our social and religious structure. As a pioneer it was her part to endure the exacting hardships of those days, and with joy reaching from the earliest hours of her new home with the companion of her heart beside her, down to the days of this dark century, when God loaned her a decade or more, she saw a panorama of world struggle, community development and fireside joys that few people may witness.

Funeral services were conducted at the home Saturday afternoon by Pastor J. W. Johnson of the Christian Church; interment in the Clearfield Cemetery.
Clearfield Enterprise, Clearfield, Iowa October 24, 1918