Mary Alice (Gates) Wood Alderman (1875-1946)

GATES, WOOD, ALDERMAN, FROSELL

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 3/14/2014 at 22:25:06

From Nevada Journal May 24, 1946

Last Rites for Mrs. Mary Alderman Thursday Afternoon

Services for Mrs. Mary Alice Alderman, former resident of Nevada, were held at the Adams Chapel in Ames on Thursday afternoon with Rev. W. B. Tarr of the Nevada Evangelical church and by Rev. C. E. Lookingbill, officiating at the last rites.

Burial was in the Ames cemetery.

"In the Garden" and "Peace Be Still," were sung during the service. The pall bearers were relatives: Orris Finch, Arthur Bogue, James Wood and Lloyd Rouze.

The following obituary was read at the funeral service:

Mary Alice Gates was born on Dec. 23, 1875 at Colo, Iowa, the child of N.P. and Marillea Gates. She passed to her eternal rest on May 20, 1946 at Ames, at the age of 70 years, 4 months and 27 days.

Mary Gates grew to womanhood in the Colo and Zearing communities. She was united in marriage to Mr. James Wood of Chicago on November 10, 1900. Mr. Wood ws a widower with three small children. Mrs Mary Gates Wood mothered these children as her own and came as natural as though she were their own mother. Mr. Wood died on Feb. 18, 1917 in Chaicago.

After the death of Mr. Wood, she came back to Iowa located at Gifford where her mother lived. Here, she operated a tearoom later moving with her business to Eldora. Her sister, Mrs. Sadie Frosell was with her in business and has been a loyal companion these many years.

On Sept. 14, 1924, she was united in marriage to Mr. Silas P. Alderman of Nevada. The ceremony was performed in Chicago. They lived in Nevada until the death of Mrs. Alderman on December 18, 1980. Mrs. Mary Gates Alderman lived in Nevada until January of 1944 when she moved to Ames at 915 Duff st., where hse owned and operated an apartment house.

Mrs. Alderman was a member of the family of God by her own choice. She was converted early in life and remained faithful through the years. Her Bible has many notations, some of which are these words: "Life is associated with grief, you must first love before you can grieve." "Faith is the dependence on the veracity of another." "Faith if it have not works is dead." "Religion is the best armor in the world, but the worst cloak."

Those of the family who survive are her sister, Mrs. Sadie Frosell of Ames, her brother, Fred W. Gates of Marshalltown, several step-children who delighted to call her "grandmother," several nephews and nieces. Besides these relatives, there are many friends and neighbors who will miss her in the affairs of life.