Josephine Boyle Leahy 1874 - 1927

BOYLE, LEAHY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/4/2023 at 00:39:07

The Battle Creek Times
3 March 1927

Mrs. Edward Leahy, of Danbury passed away last week, while attending the funeral of her sister at Geddes, S. D.

Danbury Review
February 1927

Died While Burying Sister
Mrs. Edward Leahy Answers Final Summons

One of the saddest messages that has come to our town in many a day reached her last Thursday evening which read something like this: "Mother passed away at 7 o'clock this evening," meaning that Ms. Leahy had responded to that call which must come to all at some time.

She had been called to Geddes, S. Dak., the fires tot the week by the message that her sister Mary Boyle O'Connor of that place had answered the final call on Sunday evening, Feb. 13, and she in company with other relatives from here had journeyed there for the funeral. She had been troubled with diabetis and experienced frequent attacks, but her condition was not considered serious.

The party left here Monday morning and on Tuesday, Mrs. Leahy was in usual health. The funeral of her sister was held on Wednesday morning, but fate decreed that she should not be in attendance for about 2 a. m. that morning, the lady experienced one of these spells. After several hours of suffering, it seemed as though she was getting better. About noon there was a change and she grew rapidly worse, passing into a stage of coma for several hours before passing to her Maker.

Mrs. Leahy was a devout Catholic and an every day Christian. The beautifying influences of her religion were spread over a life and character as spotless and charming as was ever possessed by any of the noble women who have lived and died during the ages that are gone. As such a life was a blessing and benefaction to all with the sphere of its influence, so is the death of such a one, a public misfortune, as well as an irreparable loss to the home circle mad desolated by her departure. It is difficult to pay a fitting tribute to the memory of so noble a woman. No one was more willing to aid the suffering, cheer the desponding, sustain the weak and to throw over the frailities of our race the mantle of Christian charity, and when death came to her, as it does to all, neighbors and friends vied with each other in acts of living kindness and tender solicitude.

Josephine Boyle Leahy was born July 22, 1874, at Carthage, IL, died at the home of her niece at Geddes, S. Dak., Thursday evening, Feb. 17, 1927, aged 52 years, 7 months and 20 days. She was the youngest in family of nine, three of whom are still living. When she was four years of age the family moved to Dallas Center, (IA) and later moving to Danbury, coming here in the spring of 1883. She was united in marriage to Edward Leahy o May 2, 1900 and six children were born to bless the union, all of whom are living.

They are Mrs. Margaret (Albert) Forch, Mrs. Mary (Charles) McGuire, Ellen, Martin, Leona and Edna. In addition to the six children and a sorrowing husband, she leaves two brothers, one sister and three grand-children. The sister is Mrs. Marie Holden of North Java, New York, and Martin and John Boyle of this place.

Funeral services were held form St. Patrick's church Monday morning at ten o'clock when Solemn Requiem Mass was sung for the repose of the soul. Very Rev. Father McNeil acted as celebrant, Father McGuire, deacon and Father Schleyer, sub-deacon. Following the services at the church the funeral cortege wended its way to St. Patrick's cemetery where all that was mortal of this grand, good woman was laid to rest until the final judgment day.

The following out of town relatives and friends were in attendance at the funeral: Jim O'Connor, Geddes, S. Dak.; Geo. Leahy, Hammond, Neb.; Mrs. S. O'Connor and daughters Agnes and Regina and Miss Susana O'Connor, all of Sioux City; Mrs. W.O. O'Connor and son Vincent of Dunlap; Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Kennaley, Mary and David Kennaley and Mrs. Margaret Kennaley, all of Ida Grove; Mrs. John o'Connell and Mr. Mrs. Karl Forch and Geo. Forch of Anthon; Mrs. Nora McCarthy, Omaha, Neb; Miss Theresa Marley of Blencoe and John Dewey of Sioux City.