Marie (O'Neil) Coonley (1899-1939)

ONEIL, COONLEY, MADISON, HAWLEY, NEVERILL

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:11

From Nevada Evening Journal December 4, 1939 (page 3)

Marie O'Neil Coonley Interred In Dumont Cemetery

A number of Nevada people, relatives and friends of the deceased were at Dumont Friday of last week, to attend the funeral services for Marie O'Neil-Coonley, 40, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Phil O'Neil of Nevada.

Present at the funeral besides those from Dumont and Nevada, were friends from Ames, Colo, Hampton, Maxwell, Zearing, St. Anthony and other points in Iowa, besides a sister from Washington and relatives from Minnesota and Oklahoma.

The following obituary appeared in the local newspaper at Dumont:

"Marie, daughter of Philip S. and Bell O'Neil, was born at Nevada, Aug. 3, 1899, and departed from this life early Tuesday morning Nov. 21, 1939 at the family residence in Dumont at the age of 40 years, 3 months and 18 days.

"After graduating from the Nevada high school, she took the prescribed teacher's course at the Iowa State Teachers college at Cedar Falls. When she was a little girl at play she was always choosing to role of teacher. From the first day of her active teaching it was evident that she would succeed, for she loved her work and her pupils, who loved her in return. She taught for about 9 years, and then served as a substitute teacher for another 10 years.

"On June 21, 1927 she was united in marriage to H. E. Coonley of Dumont at Grace Methodist church in Des Moines. To this union was born one son, Jery. All of her married life was spent in Dumont with the exception of three years' residence at Janesville.

"Mrs. Coonley united with the church when she was a young girl and lived a loyal consistent Christian lie without any break or turning aside. She was always willing to assume responsibility for different types of work in the church, and was exceptionally capable of getting things done. Another heart interest of hers was the P. T. A. in which organization she served in every office that it offered. She was always thinking and planning for others. She made and kept friends easily because she herself was so friendly and so true.

"In 1918 she became a victim of the flu which permanently affected her heart. Since that time she has had to recognize that it would be necessary to carry on under this handicap, but she faced it bravely and never complained. It has been the last few months that Mrs. Coonley had to consent to become completely inactive, both in her home as well as in all community interests. All that human skill could do has been done to make her will, but it was not the Father's will and so He has taken her home to be with the Redeemer forever. It was great source of comfort to her in the last weeks of her sickness to have had her mother with her as companion and nurse. She will be sorely missed by her mother and from the community.

"Those left to mourn her going are: the husband, H. E. Coonley and son, Jerry, her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Philip S. O'Neil, and three sisters, Mrs. A. L. Madison of Nevada; Mrs. Hersel Hawley and Mrs. Joe Neverill both of Seattle, Wash. There are also many relatives and a host of friends.

"Funeral services were conducted Friday afternoon at the Methodist church in charge of the pastor, Rev. C. W. Batten assisted by the Rev. H. H. Dill, pastor of the Methodist church at Independence. Music was furnished by a quartet composed of Mrs. J. R. Britcher, Mr. Lowell Meehan, Vern Ahrens and D. H. Day assisted by Mrs. Carl Rosenstock at the piano.

"The esteem in which the deceased was held was shown in the many floral offerings which banked the altar and were in charge of Mrs. S. G. Barlow, Mrs. J. H. Lerdal and Mrs. S. R. Piper.

"The Sunday school class of which she was president attended in a body as also did the school class of her son Jerry Coonley with Miss Vern Davisson as chaperon.

"Pallbearers were S. R. Piper, F. L. Burrows, J. R. Britcher, R. H. Atchison, F. L. Jamison and Arnold Hartgraves.

"Interment was in the Dumont cemetery."