Frances Claribel Sibley Cunningham (1855-1924)

CUNNINGHAM, SIBLEY, PUGH, CENTER, BIERNATZKI

Posted By: Gail and Dennis Bell
Date: 5/28/2005 at 13:05:58

THE MAXWELL TRIBUNE, Maxwell, Iowa, Thursday, February 21, 1924, page 1, column 2. "MRS. T. A. CUNNINGHAM - Following is the obituary of Mrs. T. A. Cunningham, an aunt of Mrs. O. O. Holtby, and who lived in the vicinity of Rhodes and State Center years ago, which appeared in a recent issue of a Burns, Wyo., paper: On January 25, 1924, after an illness of many months, Mrs. Cunningham passed quietly away at her home in Burns, Wyo. As the word was received about town, sorrow entered the hearts of those who had known her intimately for the fourteen years she had lived among us, for a loved and respected relative, friend and neighbor had passed on, leaving a great sense of loneliness behind her. At 10 o'clock on Monday morning funeral services were held at the family residence, conducted by Rev. D. R. Burr, assisted by a quartet composed of Mesdames C. H. Bastian and D. R. Burr and Messrs. C. H. and T. W. Bastian, who sang hymns "Aunt Kit" loved. A large concourse of friends gathered to pay their respect to the deceased, and by their presence and gifts of fragrant flowers to comfort those left behind. Interment was made at Cheyenne in Lakeview cemetery in the presence of relatives and friends. Frances Claribel Sibley was born at Elkhorn, Wis., September 16, 1855, and died at her home in Burns, Wyo., January 25, 1924, age sixty-eight years, four months and nine days. She was united in marriage with Thaddeus A. Cunningham at Edenville, Iowa, Jan. 7, 1878, and of this union were born, Ida Grace, who died at State Center, Iowa, December 9, 1881; Mark Sibley, who died at Red Oak, Iowa, April 17, 1910, and Lucy Eliza (Mrs. A. A. Pugh) who survives her. Of her immediate family and relatives she leaves her husband, T. A. Cunningham, and daughter, Mrs. A. A. Pugh, and two sisters, Mrs. H. H. Center, of Marshalltown, Iowa, who was present at her bedside; Mrs. A. C. Biernatzki, of Aurora, Ill., and her brother, Stephen H. Sibley, of Burns, Wyo. The family came to Wyoming in April, 1910, and have resided continuously at Burns since that time. She was christened Frances Claribel, but admiring brothers and sisters called her "Kittie," a name which clung to her, and she was familiarly known to a host of friends and neighbors as "Aunt Kit." She was a member of the First Presbyterian church, Burns, Wyo., and of the Daughters of the American Revolution, holding her membership in that order in the Lucy Fellows Chapter, of State Center, Iowa, which was named in honor of her mother, Lucy Fellows Sibley, who was a real Daughter of the Revolution. Mrs. Cunningham was of strong character, keen perception and generous thought, and in her days of health and strength willing to spent and be spent in the interest of those among who she lived. Having lived and loved and labored, she is now sheltered in the Morning Land and knows the peace that passeth** understanding. "Beautiful calm when the course is run, Beautiful twilight at set of sun, Beautiful death when life is done."" **Editorial note - spelling used is from the original newspaper article.