Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-06-15
A GENUINE WOMAN GONE.
Mrs. Viola Garrison of Centraia Is Called
to the Palace Of Eternity.


to the Palace of Eternity.
The last dread message from the
Great Beyond. which all must sooner
or later obey, came to and was an
Swered by one of the early and highly
esteemed residents of Centralia Mon
day afternoon. To her, however. it
must have come ShOrn Of its awfulness
and in the language of sweet asSuage-
ment and comforting reinsurance
"Well done, thou good and faithful
servant: thou hast been faithful over
few things, | will make thee ruler
over many things: enter thou into the
Joy of thy Lord
In very truth, Mrs. Viola Garrison
fulfilled every higher obligation of
life-domeStic, social and spiritual
as completely as human aspiration
allows. That characteristic which
impressed people, in proportion to
their knowledge of her, was her gen.
uineneSS, patience and submissive
grace to the powers that control. This
characteristic brought with it beau
tiful old age, serene in the satisfaction
of an earnest force eXerted for right
eOuSneSS that left net even one COM
fering.
Mrs. Garrison passed away at the
residence Of her son. Z. Garrison. at
4:45 O'Clock p. m., June L, following
an illness in bed of two months. She
had not been we'll for long time.
''Grandma." as we have always felt at
liberty to address her, was taken with
chills as long ago as last October,
WI hi ich n n "a in inI
Her condition was not considered
when she was obliged to take to the
bed and the family physician was
called. Constant nursing and thor
ough medical attention, however,
failed to bring other than temporary
relief. The patient grew steadily
weaker until one week ago last Friday.
On that date the muscles of the throat
became partially paralyzed and Mrs.
Garrison never swallowed from that
day until death, except by artificial
means. Final dissolution came as the
result of practical paralysis of tie en-
tire alimentary canal. The mind of
this benign lady was clear and active
to the last. To the liberated soul only
can death appear as
"That golden key
That ope's the palace of eternity
Viola Sheldon Garrison was born at
Fort Anne, on the shores Of Lake
George, New York, March a, 1921.
She had, therefore, reached the age of
IS years, months, p days at the time
of her demise. Miss Sheldon remained
under the parental roof, reared ink the
usual manner of sturdy farmer s
daughter, until married to OreSteS
Garrison on the 30tli Gay OF March,
1912. Soon after marriage Mr.. and
Mrs. Garrison moved to Greenwood,
McHenry county, Illinois, and settled
on a. farm which the husband titled
the following five named children,
four of them at GreenwOOd:
Elma Caroline, wife of S. S. Bensley,
died March 26, 1861. Chas. b., now a
resident Of Minneapolis, and with his
| mother during her last sickness:
| Llewellyn O., resident of Thorpe,
| Wis, at his mothers bedside during
| the past week, accompanied by wife
and son: Frank, president and man
ager of the Centralia Pulp & Water
Power company, with whom
| Grandma" Garrison has made her
| uOlllo lOI twenty-five years, I1elIy u,
died March 4, 1866
| OreStes Garrison and family became
occupants of a house near old Magnolia
hall in Grand Rapids late in the fall
of 1854 he being owner Of the mill
(then a SawmilD in Centrs liza recently
torn down by w. e. Mack of the
Central Electric Co. They resided in
Grand Rapids through the winter,
then went over into Centralia Mr.
Garrison died June 3, 1874, and his
wife took up her residence with her
son T. Garrison, where she has con-
tinuously been at home for twenty-five
years. The record of her career
during the widowed life is filled with
examples well worthy of emulation,
with deeds and words that will always
stand as texts and studies to the
generation that succeeds them. Peace
at last.
Funeral services were held Wednes-
day afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, from the
f. Garrison residence, Rev. f. S.
Nimits officiating. Remains were
tenderly laid at rest in Forest Hill
cemetery, the sad service being at
tended by a large number of citizens
who today deeply lament the departed
friend and neighbor.