Esther (Brodie) Joor (1854-1904)

BRODIE, JOOR

Posted By: Nancy Sweeney (email)
Date: 3/12/2022 at 19:24:24

Ames Tribute 3 March 1904

Saturday morning, the town was plunged in sorrow as the sad intelligence of the death of Mrs. Peter Joor flashed from home to home over the telephone wires. Although her loved ones, and her many friends, had with aching hearts watched her for two years gradually drifting from this life into the grander, nobler life, her death came as a terrible shock almost greater than her family could bear.

The death angel is ever an unwelcome visitor in our home; and especially so when, as in this case, he enters the home and takes not only the loving wife and devoted mother, but one who by her sweet disposition, her noble character and her gentle and compassionate heart has endeared herself to all. To know her was to love her.

During her two years of suffering with the dread disease, Diabetes, she always manifested that patient, cheerful, sunny disposition that was so characteristic of her life.

Although she, herself, felt sure almost from the first that her days were numbered, she carefully concealed the fact that she knew it from her sister Anna, who watched over and cared for her so tenderly and her husband who made such a desperate fight for her life, for fear of causing their sorrow to be deeper.

Never thinking of self, but ever considerate and thoughtful until the very last for others. Although her heart ached at the thought of leaving her loved ones, she was so ready and willing to meet her God--the God she devotedly loved. Only a week or so before she died, upon hearing the remark that it would be hard to die the death of a martyr as the apostles did and not deny Christ, she said: "Oh no, I don't think so; to die the death of a martyr would be nothing compared to denying the Master. I would suffer anything before I would deny Christ." Her greatest desire for her boys was that they might accept Christ and live so as to meet her in heaven.

In 1854, on the 22nd day of March, Esther Crammond Brodie was born near Dundee, Scotland, and died February 27, 1904 at 9:40 a.m.

She came to this country with her parents in May, 1855, and settled in Lasell county, Ill. They moved to Kendall county, Ill. in 1867, where she grew to womanhood. Friends and relatives say that even when a small child she exhibited that same conselentiousnees that was so noticeable throughout her life. So Fearful that she would do wrong, so anxious to do right.

After completing her education at her home school she attended Fowler Institute at Newark, Ill. After leaving the Institute she taught school until coming to this state.

Coming to Iowa in 1879, she with her people settled near Iowa Center. From that time until 1889 she was engaged in the millinery business with her sister Anna, at this place.

In 1889 she was united in marriage to Doctor Joor. In 1890 to this union was born a son, William Graem, and in 1892 another son, John Cornelius, came to brighten the home. And while God has seen fit to call the mother of these two boys home, it leaves a vacant place in their hearts which never can be filled.

She grew up full of faith in God, and at the time of her death was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church of this place.

The funeral services were conducted at 2 p.m. at the church of which she was a member, by her pastor, Rev. Clay Bobbitt, who preached from the text "And where I am, there shall also my servants be." John 12:26. The Church was made beautiful with ferns and cut flowers. The casket had the appearance of a bower of roses nestling againts a bank of ferns.

God alone can comfort the sorrowing and broken hearted, and he indeed, will come with healing in his wings to the ones who are so bereft by the departure of the one he has just called home.