Iowa Old Press

The Grundy Democrat
Grundy Center, Grundy Co. Iowa,
Thursday August 8, 1912.

Henry Longley died at the Sittjers home in Holland at five o'clock Friday afternoon. He had been sick for a week, first with inflamation of the bowles and later with typhoid fever. Funeral services were held at the Siemssen Church west of Fern at 1:30 Tuesday afternoon. Interment was made in the Siemsen church cemetery. The deceased was 18 years old. He was born in Wichita, Kansas and came to Grundy county four years ago when he was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John F. Meester by whom he has been regarded as their own son. The young man's mother is dead. His father and stepmother and four brothers reside in Wichita. The father John Longley came Sunday and remained until after the funeral. The attendance at the funeral was larger than the church would hold and all those who were present regarded the young man's death as a loss to the community.

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Grundy Republican
Grundy Center, Grundy Co. IOWA,
Thursday August 15, 1912

Henry J. Longley Passes Away
Henry Jordon Longley was born in Farmington, Iowa on May 29, 1891, and died of typhoid fever Friday August 9th at the home of H. V. Sitters at the age of 18 years, 2 months and 11 days. His mother died when he was 14 years old, since that time he made his home with Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Meester. During his sickness which was 14 days he stayed with H. V. Sitters. He has four brothers a father and a stepmother, all of these making their home in Wichita, Kansas. He was laid to rest in the Simson's Cemetery. His father was here to attend the funeral.

CARD OF THANKS
We desire to extend our sincere thanks to the friends and neighbors for the many acts of assistance and sympathy during the sickness and death of my dear son.
John Longley

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Grundy Democrat
Grundy Center, Grundy Co. Iowa
Thursday August 15, 1912.

Henry Longley the 18 year old adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Meester passed away Friday after an illness of two weeks. The remains were laid to rest in the Meester family lot in the German Reformed Church cemetery Tuesday.

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Grundy Democrat
Grundy Center, Grundy Co. Iowa
August 22, 1912.

OBITUARY OF HENRY LONGLEY
While not unexpected the simple announcement, "Henry Longley has passed away" came as a shock to his many friends and the entire vicinity in which he was well and favorably known was bowed in deep grief for the dear one departed. For several days it was plainly seen by his many friends that he was wrestling with man's moral enemy yet man is ever prone to cling to hope so long as life lasts and even the shadow of the grim reaper cannot utterly darken the spark that glows in the heart of the friend. Henry Longley was born at Farmington, Ia., May 29th 1894 and there he spent his boyhood days. When only a lad of 13 years his mother died suddenly having had an accident with a gasoline stove. His father not having the means to suport his children took them to the town Orphans Home at Des Moines, and after a short stay at that institution Henry was taken to the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Meester in March 1908, and during his stay with them he had indeed found a home where he was loved and cherished as their own. His many friends and young companions can scarcely believe that Henry is with them no more, for he was loved and very well liked by all who knew him. He was of a strong physical manner and it was only a few days before his last fatal illness that he complained of ill-feeling. Mrs. Meester then took him to Holland to the local physician for treatment. During that day he seemed to get worse and they decided to leave him at the home of Mrs. Meester's parents in Holland thus giving the physician a better chance to call on him. All that loving hands could do was gladly and willingly done for him but he grew worse from day to day and after a ten days severe struggle suffering at times untold agony his young spirit fled at the youthful age of 18 years 2 months and 11 days. Death the great reaper is never idle and it does not wait for a harvest season, or the autumn days of a dying year. Therefore my young readers, may we all who are left behind for a little while yet, strive for our own true welfare and souls salvation. He died at the Sitters home in Holland, but his earthly remains were taken to the J. T. Meester home where funeral services were conducted by the theological student Claus Stubbe, Tuesday, who gave an impressive funeral sermon prepared from the text Psalm 39 verse 13. Besides Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Meester his father and four brothers and a host of friends are left to mourn his departure.
Another friend gone in a whisper we say,
And the list seems so long and today they will lay
The green turf above him and whisper farewell;
And some will be left in the shadow to tell
The traits that endeared him the things that were best
In the heart that beat there in his motionless breast,
When the night comes, the dream goes, the morrow creeps on
And our lips breathe again,
There's another friend gone.

Another friend gone! And the list grows so great,
And we stand here so grieved by the little low gate
Where life passes by and our own life is spent
In a poor, simple service for which it was meant
That there isn't much wonder, when news comes again
Of a manly man fallen in the life work of men
That a part of our own life, our zeal and our zest,
Has passed with the dream of his cold dreamless breast.

Another friend gone! and our eyes turn away,
For we don't want the world to look in at the play
Of sweet feelings and sacred: just want to be here
With the birds and the stars and grief and the tear
And our dreams of the old days when he came and went
And our own lives with his, were so mingled and blent,
And the dark shadows lifted, when he smiled, like dawn.
Ere the night brought the news of "Another friend gone!"

Iowa Old Press
Grundy County