Mary Penrose (Searle) Croker (1846-1935)

SEARLE, CROKER, MALLOY, SMITH, MILLER, MAINS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:13

From Nevada Evening Journal May 20, 1935 (page 1)

Pioneer Woman Died at State Center; Burial at Colo

Colo, May 20--Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Croker, 89, pioneer woman of southeast of Colo, who died at her home in State Center Sunday morning, will be held at St. Joseph's church, State Center, Tuesday morning at 9:00, after which interment will be in St. James cemetery, Colo, by the side of her husband who passed away in 1888.

Mrs. Croker died Sunday morning from the effects of complications arising following a stroke of paralysis she suffered about three years ago and from which she had never recovered.

She was born at Lincolnshire, England, July 9, 1846. She came to Canada with her parents when a small child and later accompanied the family to Freeport, Ill., where she was united in marriage to James Croker September 19, 1865.

They came at once to Iowa and located on a farm three miles southeast of Colo, where the husband died in 1888. Mrs. Croker and her children continued on the farm until 1909 when she retired and moved to State Center.

Eleven children were born to this union. One died in infancy and the eldest son James died in 1922. The surviving are Edward who has stayed at home and looked after the mother; Mrs. J. E. Malloy of State Center, Joseph Croker of Colo, John and Arthur Croker of Marshalltown, Mrs. P. E. Smith of Prairie du Chein, Wis., Thomas of Wausaw, Wis., Mrs. Guy Miller of Russell, Kansas and Mrs. Matthew Mains of Long Beach, Calif. She also leaves 32 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren.