Mattie Myrtle Lousberry

LOUNSBERRY

Posted By: Kaye Sanchez (email)
Date: 11/1/2004 at 12:14:31

Colo newspaper-Obituary
Mattie Myrtle Lounsberry wa born at Pleasant Hill, Story Co. IA three miles north of Colo, January 27, 1879 and died where she had spent her beautiful life Aug 30, 1903, aged 18 years, 8 months and 3 days. She was the only daughter of Mr and Mrs John Lounsberry and the oldest of six children. She was of a loving and amiable disposition, always thoughtful for others and useful in making it pleasant for those around her.
She had many accomplishments and her future seemed exceptionally bright. She had enjoyed good health during the spring and summer months, having attended school at Nevada and the Story Co. normal, where many of her friends saw a useful life before her.
On Sunday, August 15, she attended church in the morning, but that evening she was taken sick. The physician pronounced it diptheria of a malignant type. All was done for her that love and skill could do, but to no purpose. A complication of the diseases set in and on Monday morning at three o'clock, she said she saw angles (angels) with shining wings coming for her and she quietly passed away from weeping friends to the angle (angel) band. She was converted last spring and with six others was taken into the Methodist church on probation, April 18, and had her health and life been spared would have been received into full membership next Sunday, Sept 5, but the dear Lord transferred her membership from the church militant to the church triumphant.
She left special messages to many 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 the mother and father sang, "The Sweet Bye and Bye" and with them she joined in the singing. A beautiful life has gone out but she has left the armoma of a pure example.
The nature of the disease forbade public services and only brief exercises were held at the house. At the 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 at 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 have a peculiar meaning.
"There is no death, what seems so is transition.
This life of mortal breath,
Is but a suburb of the life Elysian
Who's portals we call death."
Interment in the Colo Cemetery, Colo, Story Co. IA.