Martha "Mattie" Myrtle Lounsbery/Lounsberry (1879-1897)

LOUNSBERY, LOUNSBERRY, LOUNSBURY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 6/19/2011 at 17:26:26

From Story County Watchman September 3, 1897

OBITUARY NOTICE--Miss Mattie Myrtle Lounsbery was forn on Pleasant Hill, Story county, Iowa, three miles north of Colo, on Jan. 27th, 1879, and died where she spent her beautiful life on Aug. 30th, 1897 aged 18 years 8 months and 3 days. She was the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Lounsberry and th oldest of a family of six children. She was of a loving and amiable dispostion, always thoughtful of others and unselfish in making it pleasant for those around her.

She had many accomplishments and her future seemed exceptionally bright. She was in the enjoyment of good health and during the spring attended school in Nevada, and was a pupil at the Normal during the summer. Her friends saw a useful life before her.

On Sunday, August 15th, she attended church in the morning and that night was taken sick. The physician at once pronounced it diptheria of a malignant type. All was done for her that love and skill could do but all to no purpose. A complication of diseases set in and on Monday morning at 3 o'clock she said she saw the angels with shining wings coming for her and she quietly passed from weeping friends to join the angel band. She was converted last spring and with six others was teken into the Methodist church on probation on April 18th, and had her health and life been spared would have been received into full membership next Sunday, 5th of September, but the dear Lord transferred her membership from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant. She left special messages to many of her friends and said "tell all the friends of my youth to meet me in heaven." She loved music and a little while before she died her mother played on the piano and parents sang the sweet by and by and she joined in the song. A beautiful life has gone out but she has left behind her the aroma of a pure example. The nature of the disease forbade public exercises and only brief services were held at the house and cemetery. The grave was lined and the coffin covered with beautiful flowers arranged by loving hands.

She will be greatly missed by all not only in the home but in church and social circles. The parents and friends have the sympathy of the entire community. They sorrow not as those who have no hope and to them the lines of Longfellow will have a peculiar meaning.--There is no death.--What seems so is transitition. This life of mortal breath, is but a suburb of the Life Elysian--Whose portals we call death.