Gwen (Watkins) Armstong, 1871-1942

WATKINS, ARMSTRONG, EVANS, WHITE, SEMAN, BARNES, GROWDEN, CABE, SHEETS

Posted By: Volunteer-Betty Hootman
Date: 4/14/2012 at 07:21:15

Mrs. William Armstrong

Gwen Watkins, fifth of the nine children John and Ann Evans Watkins, was born in Breconshire, Wales, on July 13, 1871, and departed this life at 8:15 on the morning of Aug. ?, 1942, at the age of 71 years and ? days.

In 1881, when Gwen was ten years old, the family emigrated to America and established their new home near Keosauqua, Ia. Being one of a large family, she stayed away from home a great deal earning her board and going to school. She was an excellent student, and ambitious, and continued her studies graduating from the Keosauqua schools and receiving a certificate to teach in 1888, after which she taught several terms in the Van Buren county schools.

On Feb. 1, 1891, she was united in marriage to William Armstrong and three children came to brighten their home, Nina Marie, Charles Eugene and Mildred Ann. This little family resided in the vicinity of Mt. Sterling until 1915, when they moved to a farm near Granger, Mo. After __?__ years, owing to Mr. Armstrong’s health, they gave up farming and moved back to Mt. Sterling, which has been Mrs. Armstrong’s home ever since.

When she was a very young girl she joined the Home Prairie Methodist church, and after returning to Mt. Sterling to live she transferred her membership by letter to the Mt. Sterling Methodist church. She was a charter member of the Women’s society of Christian Services, and served as its secretary for a number of years, also was secretary to the Sunday school, and treasurer of the local cemetery association. She was a hard and faithful worker in her church and her community, and her willing hands will be greatly missed by her friends and neighbors. She was known to her many friends by her cheery smile and her love for fun, which was the outward reflection of a sunny spirit and kind and loving heart.

A great dark shadow was dropped upon her life by the passing of her only son, Charles Eugene, on Aug. 30, 1934. This was a cross almost too great for even a courage like hers to bear, but her faith carried her through those dark hours of sorrow. Then on Oct. 24, 1938, the Angel of death made another call at her home and took away her husband, leaving Mrs. Armstrong alone in her little home.

She loved the joy and companionship she found in travel, new country, new sights, new faces, new friends and spent all the winters but one with her daughter in Texas and one winter in California with her other daughter.

She leaves to mourn the loss of a dear mother her two daughters, Nina (Mrs. Otto White) of Canyon, Texas and Mildred (Mrs. William A. Seman) of San Francisco, Calif., also a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Fred Barnes of Bloomfield, Iowa, three grandchildren, Mrs. Helen Growdon of Los Angeles, Calif., Mrs. Marjorie Cabe of Canyon, Texas, and Sgt. Clair E. Armstrong of Camp Roberts, Calif., and four great granddaughters, also one sister, Mrs. Rosabel Sheets of Granger, Mo., and two brothers, John E. Watkins of Loring, Kans, and David E. Watkins of Keosauqua, Ia., her parents, three sisters and two brothers having preceded her in death. Besides her immediate family she leaves a number of nieces and nephews and a host of friends and neighbors, as to know Mrs. Armstrong was to love her. The love of a truly great mother will live in the hearts of her children and grandchildren forever, and time will eventually erase the agony of her intense suffering during the last few weeks of her life, which suffering she bore patiently and with great fortitude.

Funeral services were held Sunday at 3 p.m. from the Mt. Sterling church in charge of the pastor Jay M. Waterman. Burial was in Harness cemetery.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Scrapbook A, page 356, Keosauqua Public Library; Keosauqua, IA