OBITUARY: Lewis Larue Gammon

Lewis Larue, son of James and Armilda Mires Gammon was born in
Blakesburg, Wapello county, Iowa October 18, 1853, died November 6, 1927, at
his home near Leon, age 74 years and 18 days. He came to Decatur county when
a small boy with the family, living in this county about seventy years, and
on the homestead where he passed away almost forty-nine years. For all these
years he was one of the county's honored citizens. He was married to Miss
Mary N. Lentz of Woodland on February 21, 1878. Had he lived till February
21, next, this happy union would have been fifty years. To this union were
born six children, one son and five daughters, the son passing away in
infancy and one daughter in early married life, leaving a son and daughter
which he adopted and who were cared for as his own children.
He has been a faithful member of the I.O.O.F. lodge for thirty years and
conscientiously complied with the letter and the fraternal spirit of the
order. He leaves to mourn his departure, a loving and devoted wife, four
daughters, Mrs. L.B. Morris of Lamar, Colo.; Mrs. Walter Campbell of Leon;
Mrs. Ella Clark of Paonia, Colo.; Mrs. Clara Z. Hamilton of Des Moines, Lewis
Freeman Gammon at home, Mrs. Lona Perks of Leon; seventeen grandchildren and
seven great-grandchildren, five brothers, Gean, of Leon; Bird of Denver,
Colo.; Willie, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Gaines, of Leon and Lucius, of Lincoln,
Neb.; one sister, Mrs. Mattie L. McDaniels, of Los Angeles, Calif., and many
other relatives and dear friends.
He was a kind and loving husband, a true friend, a good neighbor and an
honored citizen. He sought to live a good life and rigorously disciplined
himself. He will be greatly missed by those whose lives he touched.
Funeral services were held at the Brethren church Tuesday afternoon at 2
o'clock. Rev. Claud Studebaker delivered the sermon. The services were in
charge of the I.O.O.F. lodge of which the deceased was a prominent member.
Burial was in the Lentz cemetery southeast of Leon.

My Creed (selected and composed by himself.)
To live each day as though I may never see the morrow come; to be strict
with myself, but patient and lenient with others; to give the advantage but
never to ask for it; to be kind to all, but kindlier to the less fortunate;
to respect all honest employment; to remember always that my life is made
easier and better by the service of others, and to be grateful.
To be tolerant and never arrogant; to treat all men with equal courtesy;
to be true to my own in all things; to make as much as I can of my strength
and the day's opportunity, and to meet disappointment without resentment.
To be friendly and helpful wherever possible; to do, without display of
temper or of bitterness, all that fair conduct demands; to keep my conscience
and character clear and free from shame and disgrace; to govern my actions so
that I may fear neither reproach nor misunderstanding, nor words of malice or
envy, and to maintain, at whatever temporary cost, my own self respect.
To keep faith with God, my fellow men, and my country.
This is my creed and my philosophy. I have failed it often and shall
fail it many times again, but by these teachings of my mother and my father,
I have lived to the best of my ability, laughed often, loved, suffered,
grieved, found consolation, and have prospered.
By friendships I have been enriched, and the home I have built has been
happy. Fare you well with friendship, love and truth to my fellow man.

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I forgot to put that this was my Mother's Mother (my Grandmother). I was
only five when she died but I remember her...she used to give me spoonfuls
of brown sugar...ummm, nothing tasted so good then! She also kept my little
kitty when my Dad moved us to Missouri and Kansas while he worked on
building Army camps during WWII. I also remember the old pump she had on
the kitchen counter, over the sink. It was short and had a wide
mouth.....that fascinated me. My daughter recently was in Kansas and she
found just such a pump for me and my husband sandblasted it at work....now
it's has a nice, tile red primer color and I am deciding what color to paint
it. Wish it was the one my Grandma had, though!

Jan Chastain Lund