Ethel Vera (Brown) EDWARDS

EDWARDS, BROWN, ROHLF, LITTELL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 10/3/2010 at 11:00:59

October 31, 1895 -- May 9, 1920

Mrs. Ethel Vera Edwards, wife of Ralph M. Edwards, died suddenly Sunday [May 9, 1920] morning at Belmond, Ia., of internal hemorrhage. Her death came as a shock to her many friends here, where she is well known and loved. Mrs. Edwards was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Brown, of just west of town, and her home was in Clarion, Ia. The body was brought to Estherville Monday evening and the funeral services were held at the M.E. church Tuesday afternoon in charge of the Rev. John B. Walker of Clarion, former pastor of the family.

Estherville Democrat, Estherville, Iowa
May 12, 1920

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In Memorium
Mrs. Ralph M. Edwards

On Sunday morning, May 9th, ere the light broke upon the earth, Ethel Vera Edwards closed her eyes in great pain and slipped into a deep fog of unconsciousness to awaken a little later having discovered that a day had dawned for her in the land of perpetual Sabbath, the blessed painless land in the city of our God.

Ethel Vera Brown, the daughter of W. F. and Ellen Brown, of Estherville, Iowa, came into her earthly heritage of life and love at Sparta, Wis., Oct. 31, 1895. As we count life, she was but 9 days past 24 ½ years of age. When she was three her parents came to Ruthven, Iowa, where they spent four years, then one at Terril, coming to Estherville in 1910, where they now reside and where she grew into beautiful and queenly womanhood, maturing the faculties that were to make her a much loved woman among her friends of future years. She graduated from the public schools here at Estherville with the class of 1914. Later she entered the Western Union Telegraph office and spent an apprenticeship of a year, becoming an expert telegrapher. She was employed in the office at Clear Lake for two or three months, going to Emmetsburg where she was the manager of the Western Union office for two years. It was here that she met her heart’s desire in the person of Mr. Ralph M. Edwards, who was teaching agriculture in the public school.s

Mr. Edwards was discharged from the army Dec. 23, 1918 and on Jan. 5, 1919 began teaching at Iowa Falls. The summer was spent at Cedar Rapids. With the coming of autumn they found themselves at Ottosen where Mr. Edwards became superintendent of the public schools. In February of this year, he entered upon his duties as County Agent of Wright County, with headquarters and home at Clarion. A member of the Methodist church she and her husband affiliated with our church at Clarion and she entered heartily, as did her husband, into the activities of church life, becoming a member of the choir and taking a class of boys and girls whom she came to love.

She was intensely interested in her husband’s activities and often accompanied him on his trips. Saturday she spent with him on a trip in connection with his work. It was a beautiful day, there was a promise of summer with prospects of future harvest. Her heart was aflame with joy. She seemed never to have been so happy. Her heart overflowed with gladness and together this happy couple planned for the summer and for the years ahead of them. It is not amiss to say that her last day on earth was her happiest. The experience seemed granted as a heaven born boon for the grief stricken husband and companion. And she was destined to step from a day of great earthly joy into a land of perfect joy where no sorrow is, nor pain.

Towards evening she was taken desperately sick and was hurried to the hospital at Belmond where, after hours of suffering, never losing hope for a moment, she was relieved of her suffering at 3 a.m. Sunday morning.

She is survived by her beloved husband and companion, Ralph M. Edwards, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Brown of Estherville, four brothers and two sisters, Erwin J. of Ruthven; T. W. of Sparta, Wis.; Mrs. Mable Rohlf of Des Moines, Ia., Mrs. Grace Littell of Otteson, Ray H. of Estherville, and Merrit D. of Ruthven.

Services were conducted at the Methodist church at Clarion Monday May 10th and conducted by the Rev. John B. Walker, pastor. Services were held at the Methodist church in Estherville, Tuesday afternoon, at 2:30 o’clock, conducted by the Rev. J. W. LaGrone, pastor, assisted by the Rev. John B. Walker of Clarion, Iowa. Interment was made at Estherville.

Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA
May 19, 1920