The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-08-23
Obituary,
Leaves have their time to fall
And flowers 20 wither as soon rs blown,
And stars To set, but death
LIZ

Leaves have their time to fall
And flowers 20 wither as soon rs blown,
And stars to set but death
Has every season OF the year its own.
Death has no stated time or season; the frosts
OF winter or the sunshine of summer are no pro
lection; al all hours Of the day, at all hours of
the night it reaps its melancholy harvest. Moth
ing is more certain than il will come, and moth
ing is more uncertain than when it will come,
and what blessed thing it is to lead life that
excites no anxiety or despair when the solemn
message comes. And how serene and reposing
are the last thoughts rs they silently ebb away
into the realities of another world with implicit
trust and confidence in one who has power to save.
Such it was with the late Mrs. Macy O'RoUgKE,
the wife and faithful companion of Ohm O'ROurke,
whose dissolution took place al her home in the
town Of Ophir on the morning of August 9th,
1879, in the Goth year Of her age. She was born
in the town OF LamfOrt, Ireland in the year ISIS,
where she resided with her parents for eighteen
years, when she with many others determined to
try her fortunes in America. After being liber-
ally prepared for the voyage by her idolizng
father she set sail for Canada, where she safely
arrived after a long and tedious voyage of six
weeks But not finding the friends and surround.
ings as she anticipated, she took passage for
Brooklyn the following year, where she had
many friends and relatives and where she in the
course Of two years became acquainted with and
married Mr.. John ORourke, then a young and
promising mason of that city. They soon gained
by their frugality and industry a little property,
whence they removed to Pennsylvania and pur-
chm n farm After farmiDp they
sold out and returned to the city, where they re-
manned until the summer of SIS, when they came
to Ottawa and purchased their present farm,
which they have nicely fitted up and tastilv i'm
proved Mrs. O'Rourke was woman that lived
and laborcd for her family. To assist her chill
drcn and give them cheer and comfort seemed to
be the devoted purpose Of her life; and the re-
spect which her children receive and the numer
Gus friends they have made wherever they have
gone, are but the fruits of her early and tender
lessons She was woman who was always the
was only known to be respected
and remembered. And the tribute which was
paid her memory by her numberless friends that
attended her funeral and gathered around her
grave, which was the largest concourse Of citi.
zens that ever, upon such an occasion, was wit
messed in Ottawa, is ample proof that she was
tenderly respected by all who knew her. The
Rev. Dean Terry Of the Catholic Church preached
an able and touching sermon over her remains
with telling effect upon the audience. He then
headed the procession to the cemetery, where he
performed the full rites OF the church, assisting
with his hands the lowering of the coffin to its
final resting place. Mrs. O'Rourkc led a zeal.
Gus, earnest Christian life and her services in
this world as a loving, devoted and Christian
mother will merit the full and overlooking Joys
of the world TO come.