Mary Charlotte Fellows Reddick 1913-2004

REDDICK, FELLOWS, RATCLIFFE, MORRISON, SPERRY, DODSON, FRANKLIN, HENDRICKS

Posted By: Andy Reddick (email)
Date: 12/24/2004 at 09:48:34

Mary Charlotte Fellows Reddick, 91 years 11 months and 12 days old, of Wayland died at 12:45 PM Friday, December 17, 2004 at Washington County Hospital in Washington.

She was born prematurely during a raging blizzard at her parents' farm on January 5, 1913. Located halfway between Leando and Pittsburg, the farm in Van Buren County was called Prospect Hill.

Mary Ina Ratcliffe, daughter of Aaron Ratcliff and granddaughter of Jesse Ratcliff had married Theo Dwight Fellows on November 2, 1904. Theo was the son of the late William M.V.B. Fellows and grandson of Asahel Fellows. These were pioneers of Van Buren County. Other related family lines include Morrison, Sperry, Dodson and Franklin all of whom pioneered in Van Buren County.

Exersion from shoveling snow induced labor and brought about the birth of this 3 pound infant. To keep her warm, she was wrapped daily in a basket and placed on the wood range oven door with loaves of rising bread. But in August, 1914 she was stricken with poliomyelitis and the result was infantile paralysis.

Blind and deaf for three years and right side paralyzed, Charlotte would alternate, spending 3 months at the Children's Hospital in Iowa City and 3 months on the farm. A nurse would accompany her back and forth on the old train with walnut panelling, swinging gas lights and a route that required changing trains in Eldon.

Charlotte's physical condition challenged her and she was unable to amass enough education to become a music teacher, but she did take voice lessons and had God-given perfect pitch and a pleasant voice. She attended Douds-Leando Consolidated Schools until about 1928 and performed at many local functions.

Charlotte married Louis Jackson Reddick on July 17, 1940 in Lancaster, Missouri. He preceded her in death on Dec. 22, 1986. She lived in Douds, Pittsburg, Keosauqua, Macomb, Illinois; Keokuk, Glendale, California; Bull Head City and Kingman, Arizona; and Cape Girardeau and Marble Hill, Missouri During the past year she was a resident at Parkview Care Center in Wayland.

Survivors include an older brother, Aaron "Dutch" Fellows of Jefferson County Assisted Living, one son "Andy" Reddick and his wife Joyce of Mt. Pleasant, and one grandson Phillip "P.J." Reddick of Macomb, Illinois. A brother (T.G. Fellows) and a sister (Willa Hendricks) preceded her in death.