p. 23 | Obituaries

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 21, 1906

Obituaries

Trask.— Died April 24, 1906, from hemorrhages, Mrs. Bertha Trask. Sister Trask was born Dec. 6, 1871. She was converted in 1897, and united with the Seventh-day Adventist church at Bay City. The funeral was held in the Methodist church at Au Sable, Mich. Words of comfort were spoken by the writer, assisted by the Methodist minister. Theo. G. Lewis.

Williams.— Died at his home in East Port, Mich., May 6, 1906, of cancer of the stomach, John R. Williams. He was born Sept. 22, 1862. He leaves a wife and children to mourn their loss, but they are comforted with the hope of seeing him soon in the first resurrection. The funeral was held in the Adventist church at that place. The funeral service was conducted by the writer. Theo. G. Lewis.

Carr.— Died, in Tuxpan, V. C. Mexico, May 7, 1906, after an illness of two days, of cerebral congestion, our dear Bernice, daughter of May McCulloch Carr, aged 8 years. Bernice never missed an opportunity to tell the Mexicans around us of the love of Jesus and of his soon coming. Grandparents, mother, brother, and sister, with many friends, are longing for the day when Jesus shall come and we shall meet our loved ones again. May L. Carr.

Suelflow.— Died at her home in Milwaukee, Wis., Dec. 3, 1905, after an illness of but a few weeks, Mrs. Wilhelmina Suelflow, aged 63 years. The immediate cause of her death was dropsy. Sister Suelflow was an esteemed member of the Milwaukee Seventh-day Adventist church, having accepted the truth ten years ago. She was loved by all who knew her, and is greatly missed by the members of the church. Funeral service was conducted by Rev. J. Bading and Rev. H. Sieck (Lutheran). R. T. Dowsett.

Hawes.— Fell asleep in Jesus, in Battle Creek, Mich., May 21, 1906, Sister Charlotte C. Hawes, aged 85 years lacking nine days. Death was caused by gastritis. Sister Hawes was born at Huntsburg, Geauga Co., Ohio, and embraced the truth, to which she was faithful to the last, in Wisconsin through reading the Bible and Seventh-day Adventist literature. She was a widow, and is survived by four sisters, one of whom was with her during her dying her last illness. Sister Hawes was the mother of four children, all deceased. The funeral services were conducted in Battle Creek by Elder G. B. Thompson. The interment took place at Stockton Junction, Daviess Co., Ill. G. W. Amadon.

Peavey.— Died in Dayton, Ore., Brother Chancy N. Peavey, aged 45 years, 1 month, and 4 days. He was rolling some logs, with other brethren, into the Willamette River, when a knot caught his clothing, and whirled him over the bank twenty feet below, crushing him into the soft sand. He lived but a short time. He had fully accepted the faith of the Seventh-day Adventists about two years ago, and was soon going to camp-meeting, where he intended to be baptized. He was a man of genial disposition, and was loved and respected by all. He leaves a wife and one daughter. Words of comfort from Rev. 21:1-5, were spoken by the writer. R. D. Benham.

Kelsey.— The few short words of this sketch are altogether too brief and insufficient to properly delineate the experiences and noble character of her long and useful life. Her maiden name was Eunice Rebecca Bushnell. She was born in Saybrook, Middlesex Co., Conn., March 24, 1820. She died in Boulder, Colo., May 1, 1906, at the venerable age of 86 years, 1 month, and 5 days. Her early life was spent at Saybrook. Filled with an ambition to fit herself for a life of usefulness, she threw herself earnestly into school work, fitting herself for a public-school teacher, and in this profession she engaged for several years. At the age of eighteen, July 4, 1838, she was married to Mr. Asa Kelsey. Together with her husband she left her native State and went to what was termed the Great West—the State of Michigan. The span of her life may be better appreciated when it is understood that she made a portion of this journey by ox team (there being no railroads at that time), penetrating and settling in a new and wild country, locating near Battle Creek, Mich. They were among the charter members of the first Seventh-day Adventist church organized in that State. It was from Brother Kelsey's sawmill that lumber was secured for the erection of the first church building among the Seventh-day Adventists. Five children, three boys and two girls, were born to Brother and Sister Kelsey. In 1857 Brother Kelsey died, and Sister Kelsey was left alone to battle with the world. Sister Kelsey's religious experience dates from the year 1836, at which time she became a member of the Congregational Church. Sixteen years later, or in the winter of 1852, she and her husband embraced the views held by the Seventh-day Adventists. This was fifty-four years ago; so, for more than half a century she has walked as a consistent and faithful member of this church. She was thirteen years old at the time of the great meteoric shower in 1833, and was an eye-witness of this historic event. Sister Kelsey belonged to the old New England stock, and the old Puritan integrity and regard for principle marked her life throughout. To know the right was to do the right. Conviction of duty was the embodiment of action. She lived what she believed. Perhaps her great strength of character was shown in her espousal of an unpopular cause—in her throwing in her lot with a poor and despised people who were yet unorganized and without church buildings. She did this for the love of the truth, and because she felt that not doing so would be displeasing to her Master. We can truly feel that a great and noble woman has passed to her rest. With her no praise is fulsome. She left an example worthy of emulation. And in saying this we do not idolize humanity nor deify the dead. Her life was worthy of emulation only as Christ made it worthy. She manifested graces only as he dwelt within. Two sons and one daughter remain of the immediate family circle. With the exception of five years, the daughter, Mrs. Jones, has spent her entire life with her mother. Others, more remotely related (grandchildren of Sister Kelsey), and who in her affections came as near to her as her own children, mourn also the loss. We laid her away with the firm belief that if we are true to the principles which she lived, we shall meet her again in the never-ending, never-parting eternity. She expressed herself as ready to die, and, like the tired warrior after the hard-fought battle and well-earned victory, at the close of the day entered her peaceful slumber to await the morning call and resume the activities of blissful eternal life. F. M. Wilcox.

Wakeham.— Died on board the Steamship “Bremen,” on the Atlantic Ocean, May 13, my dear wife, Emma L. Rea Wakeham, in her forty-sixth year. She fell at her post, out on the fighting line. She sleeps in Jesus, and eternity alone will reveal the result of her work. My wife was born in western Iowa in the pioneer days of that State, and was early inured to a life of toil and privation. She was one of a family of twelve children, all of whom survive to mourn her loss. Early in life she gave her heart to God and united with the Baptist Church, of which her father was pastor. About the age of nineteen she became acquainted with the truths of the third angel's message, which she gladly embraced, and has never since doubted the glorious triumph of the remnant church. In the fall of 1883 she was united in marriage with the writer. She has always been a loving wife, a devoted mother, an unselfish and untiring worker for suffering humanity. Four children, two boys and two girls, feel keenly this great loss. But thanks be to God and a Christian mother's influence, all have found the true source of comfort in time of trial. My younger son expresses the feelings of us all when, writing from Hamburg, he says: “Whenever I think of mama now, it brings before my mind all of those precious promises that are scattered all through the Bible, of the new earth, and of the bliss and happiness we are to enjoy through the years of eternity. It fills me with new ambitions to be there, and with new love for the One who, in his great love, has prepared such a home for those who love him.” The death of my wife was due to a severe attack of nervous prostration which developed into melancholia, and a rapid breaking down of all the vital powers. Acting upon medical advice, as soon as possible I embarked for England, hoping that a few months at the Caterham Sanitarium would be the means of her recovery. But it pleased God to call her to her rest before we reached land. On Sunday, while yet three days out from port, she quietly fell asleep. With hearts sad and sore, yet buoyed up by the blessed hope, we committed her body to old ocean's arms, confident that, though no monument marks her resting-place, she will not be overlooked when the Life-giver calls the sleeping saints. Her life is hid with Christ in God. A short service was conducted by the Rev. Alexander Milne Dalrymple (Presbyterian), of New Zealand, who was on his way to England. We do not know the meaning of this bereavement. Our loss! Egypt's loss! But we trust God to make it plain. Our Heavenly Father has given us special grace for this trial. But we do pray that God will raise up consecrated, competent workers for the great Oriental Mission field. W. H. Wakeham.