Decatur County Journal
May 4, l905

LELIA MILLER PRIEST was born near Weldon, in Decatur County, Iowa, July
30, l882, and died at her home in Carthage, South Dakota, April l5,
l905. When only 3 years of age she was left motherless and before she
was old enough to realize her great loss, her brother, JOHN MILLER, also
died leaving her an orphan indeed. She grew to womanhood in the home of
her grandfather, JONATHAN WILLIAMS, a pioneer of Clarke County, who died
only 2 years ago. She was educated in the excellent schools of Weldon
and graduated from the high school in the class of '9l. Possessing a
sweet voice and much natural talent for music she studied at the
conservatory of music in Drake University for a time to cultivate the
gift she possessed and succeeded well.

She was married to EDWIN S. PRIEST, June 8, l904, in the Christian
Church at Weldon and left the following day a happy bride for Dakota to
make a home with her husband and to enter with him as a true helpmate
upon the duties and responsibilities of life in all its varied
relations. Her death was a specially sad one. The Grim Reaper came
almost unheralded to claim her for his own. Her cheerful bright
disposition and reproachless character so endeared her to the whole
community that her sudden death cast a gloom over all.

At the age of l2 she united with the Christian Church at Weldon, by
obedience to the commandments of her Savior and lived an earnest,
zealous, consecrated Christian life. She was an earnest church worker
and was always found at her post of duty. In the Sunday School and
Endeavor Society, she worked with unflagging interest. But her life
work is now done and those who miss her can only bow their heads in
humble submission to the Divine will. Her body was brought back and
tenderly laid to rest by the side of her parents in the cemetery at
Green Bay. Her funeral was from the Christian Church Tuesday afternoon,
the sermon being preached by the minister, C.H. Morris, assisted by Rev.
Holly, of the M.E. Church, and Newton Bundy, Pastor of the Christian
Church at Carthage, S.D., who accompanied MR. PRIEST on his sorrowful
journey home with the remains of his wife, a kindness not only
appreciated by the grief-stricken husband but by all acquainted with the
circumstances and a kindness that will receive its reward. The
heartfelt sympathy of the whole community goes out to the husband in his
sorrow and may he remember that God doeth all things well.
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August 25, 200l