Rachel Angeline Shane Rork

SHANE, RORK, MCQUILLIN

Posted By: J. Breen (email)
Date: 12/1/2015 at 21:39:16

Washington Evening Journal – July 25, 1914

Mrs. O. E. Rork Died Last Evening

Popular Washington Woman’s
Death Occurred at End of Long Illness

Mrs. O. E. Rork died yesterday evening at 6:30 at her home on East Washington Street following an illness of several years. For the last sixteen months of her life Mrs. Rork has been confined to her bed under the care of a nurse and part of the time was spent in the county hospital. Diabetes was the cause of death.

Funeral services were announced for Sunday afternoon at 4 o’clock at the A. Anderson residence, across the street from Mrs. Rork’s home. The service will be in charge of the Rev F. A. Gageby, pastor of the Presbyterian church who will be assisted by the Rev. W.G. Thorn. A Presbyterian quartet will furnish music. Interment will be in the family lot at Elm Grove.

Mrs. Rork was a woman of unusually lovable character. She was a member of the Presbyterian church and a Christian with a practical kind of Christianity, the kind that produces a sunny disposition and a thoughtfulness for the welfare of others with a disregard for one’s own comfort if some ones else’s may be secured. Her neighbors and friends were numbered by the score and to them she was neighborly and friendly at all times and not only to them, but to all casual acquaintances. Mrs. Rork was well educated and well informed and was very much interested even in late years in all the affairs of the time, local and general. She was a member of the Fortnightly club and of the Wednesday reading class.

Since1875 Mrs. Rork had been a resident of Washington, coming here in that year with her husband, Dr. O. E. Rork from Keosauqua. She was born in Steubenville, Ohio, on March 31, 1848, and was a daughter of John Shane and Mary Arnold Shane. She was the youngest of five children, all of whom are deceased. When eight years of age she came with her parents to Keosauqua and spent her childhood in that place. On December 30, 1873, she was married to Dr. O. E. Rork, who at that time was practicing dentistry in Keosauqua. After residing there for two years they came to Washington, and Dr. Rork practiced here until his failing health obliged him to give up his work. He died January 18, 1902. Since then Mrs. Rork made her home at the East Washington street residence, spending the last several winters, with exception of the very last, at the home of her nephew, Edward McQuillin, at Burlington. The Rork home is well known and identified by the life size busts of lions which guard the approach to the home from the street walk.

Three nephews and two nieces are the surviving relatives of Mrs. Rork. They are Judge Eugene McQuillin of St. Louis, Vincent McQuillin of St. Louis, Edward McQuillin of Burlington and Misses Mary and Hortense McQuillin of Knoxville, Iowa. Two grandnieces are living: Miss Jennie McQuillin of Burlington and Miss Edith McQuillin of St. Louis. Mrs. Rork was a cousin of the late Harrison Ball, father of Mrs. A. Anderson.