Grizzella M. (Thompson) Confare (1844-1908)

THOMPSON, CONFARE, GRIFFITH, FRY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 3/7/2017 at 18:56:43

From Nevada Representative June 29, 1908

OBITUARY

Mrs. Benjamin Confare

Mrs. Benjamin Confare died suddenly at her home in Ames Sunday evening, June 21. She had been in delicate health for a few years and for this reason, she and Mr. Confare had left the farm and established their residence in a part of the house of their son-in-law and their daughter, Mr. and Mrs. U. S. Griffith. The regular duties of life engaged her, however, and on that last Sunday she had attended church as usual, had enjoyed an afternoon ride with her husband, and then had made ready his packages preparatory to his taking train at an early hour Monday morning to visit their son Falcon M. Confare near Great Bend, Kansas. Soon after retiring she was taken ill, her husband ministered to her and she said, "I am better. Now you rest, to be ready for the morning." A few minutes later anxious care again tood beside her, but she was gone.

Grizella M. Thompson was born at Camden, Indiana, December 23, 1824 and died as stated at Ames, Iowa, June 21, 1908 aged nearly sixty-three and one half years.

She was next to the youngest in a family of seven children. Her father dying when she was two years old, she was left to the care and Christian nurture of her mother. Between the godly mother and the responsive daughter an almost sacred devotion grew up, the young daughter lighting up the last invalid days of her mother, which closed with a sudden stroke of heart failure, the same as were to close her own forty five years later.

After the death of he mother, the daughter became a teacher until her marriage in 1867 to Benjamin Confare. A year after their marriage they moved to Story county, Iowa, lived some years on a farm near Nevada, subsequently in Maxwell and later in Ames. Mrs. Confare at her marriage became a most sympathetic and affectionate mother to her husband's young son by a former marriage, Falcon M. Confare, who returned her affection in fullest measure and who has now dropped the pressing duties of the Kansas harvest to bring his tribute of esteem to her obsequies.

Her own children are three daughters, all married and all living in Iowa, namely: Lillian Ora, wife of U. S. Griffith of Ames; Florence May, wife of Charles C. John of Cambridge; and Katherine Grizzella, wife of L. A. Fry of Van Horn; all of whom gathered at her funeral.

Mrs. Confare in early life became a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church in which she continued until their coming to Ames since which she has been a member of the M. E. church.

A brother, Rev. Mr. Thompson who was present at the funeral and who is the only one now left of her father's family, bears testimony to her high character of filial love, sisterly devotion, and rare sacrifice in the service of others.

In addition to the above, Mr. and Mrs. Norman H. Confare, brother of B. Confare, and friends from Nevada, Cambridge, Maxwell and McCallsburg were at her funeral, which was conducted at the home of her son-in-law, U. S. Griffith, at 619 Story street, Ames, Wednesday June 24, by her pastor, the Rev. A. M. Shea after which the remains were laid to rest in the family lot at Nevada.