Iowa
Old Press
[?] Oskaloosa Herald
Oskaloosa, Mahaska co. Iowa
December ?, 1916
A Pioneer Goes Suddenly - William Thomas Tandy
William Thomas Tandy was born November 18, 1844, Keokuk County,
Iowa, went home on Sunday morning about 8:30 o'clock, December
10, 1916. He had been poorly but a few days and on this hour was
out about his morning chores, when the summons came to come
higher and he responded to the heavenly call. Mrs. Tandy, feeling
that her companion had been out too long, although it had been
only a few minutes, called to him. Receiving no response to her
calls, she then called to her grandson, Wilbur Williams, to go up
into the hay mow to see if grandpa had fainted up there. Wilbur
ran quickly and said, "No grandma, grandpa is not
here." The daughter, Mrs. R. H. Williams, hastened to her
mother and seeing the gate to the chicken yard unfastened went to
look and there she found her dear old father lying on his back,
looking so pale. It was such a shock she screamed for her mother,
who was still at the barn in search for her dear one. Mrs.
Williams, leaving her mother working with the fallen one, ran to
call the doctor and relatives. It was soon found the life was
gone. Rheumatism had struck the heart, which caused instant
death. A neighbor, Mrs. Phenix, said she had been talking with
Mr. Tandy, not five minutes before as she too was feeding her
chickens at the same time. She said he seemed as usual, talked
about the beautiful Sabbath morning. He leaves to mourn their
loss his faithful wife, two sons and a daughter, A.B. Tandy of
White Oak, W.T. Tandy, Jr., of Leighton and Mrs. R. H. Williams
of Oskaloosa, nine grandchildren, one great grandchild, three
brothers, four sisters, one aged uncle, a host of nieces, nephews
and other relatives. Those who have gone on before are a father
and mother, one brother, three sisters and a son-in-law. Mr.
Tandy was next to the oldest of a family of twelve children. W.
T. Tandy and Mary J. Baston were united in marriage March 28,
1866. To this union were born two sons and one daughter. They
celebrated their golden wedding anniversary last March without a
break in the family circle. The first sorrow came when R. H.
Williams, the son-in-law, was so suddenly called; ever since that
awful shock, Mr. Tandy has been gradually declining in health.
For forty years, this man has been serving the Lord in his true,
quiet way. He was a faithful member of the German Reformed church
at Leighton, acting in an official capacity of the church, also
he was a Sunday School teacher nearly all the time of his
residence at this place. Eighteen years ago he moved to the late
residence in Oskaloosa, with his wife and daughter, when he
became a member of the Friends' Church in which he has been so
interested in its every activity ever ready and willing to answer
to all of duty's calls; faithful to his Bible school class,
missing but one Sabbath during the past year and that was the
time of the tragic death of R.H. Williams. He was a faithful and
helpful member of the Brotherhood, never missing a meeting when
possible to attend; he was at the last meeting on Wednesday night
before his going home on Sunday. The same morning of his death he
was hurrying to get ready to go to his Bible class and church
service; but Jesus called him to a more beautiful place. The
funeral services were held in the Friends church, Tuesday, Dec.
12, at 1 o'clock. Rev. Stranahan had a most comforting message in
the sad hour, text was found 1 Cor. 15 chap. 55th verse. He spoke
of the strange and beautiful coincidence--Our departed brother
was hurrying on this beautiful Sabbath morning to get ready to go
to Sunday school and every member of the numerous relatives that
were called that morning, were also getting ready for Sunday
school. The college male quartet sang so beautifully,
"Looking This Way," "We'll Never Say Good-Bye in
heaven," and "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere." The
funeral procession went by auto to the Olivet Cemetery, where
internment was made. While the pure white snow was silently and
softly falling, the ladies quartet of Olivet sang so sweetly by
the open grave, "Gathering Home One by One." Continued
on with a poem.....
[transcribed by J.D.P., January 2005]