The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-04-09
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, AND |
DEATHS.


of Mrs. Fitch may be easily told. The
life of woman is largely in the home.
1t may be quite as potent, or more SO
than that Of man but it is spent less
in the limelight, amid the noise and
turmoil Of the conflict. There is lit
tie that is striking and picturesque, lit
tie that is adapted to make good
story for the newspaper, but what
words can portray the influence ex.
erted by the loving ministries which
I'LL up the life of the devoted wife and
mother?
Our sister, Sarah ], Smith, was born
December 18th, 1881, in Armagh, Ty.
rome county, Ireland, of Scotch-lrish
parentage Her mother died when
she was but three months old. So she
was deprived all her life of the price
| less heritage of mothers love and
care. She came with her father to
America when she was eight years
old and settled in Ohio.
In 1850 she was married to Benja-
min Fitch, of Warren, Ohio. Six
children were born to them. One of
these, Mrs. Flora Hillery, preceded
her mother TO the other world. The
others all survive her. They are Mrs.
Marguerite Whitcomb, of Monroe,
Wis, Mrs. Mary Stanton, of this city,
DR.. E. L. Fitch, for years practicing
physician in this city, but now of
Denver, Colo, and r. F. and Walter
B. Fitch both of them prominent
business men in our city.
In 1854 our sister moved with her
| husband to Wisconsin and continued
to make il herhome there until they
moved to. Mahaska county, settling
on farm near Oskaloosa. Here they
lived nearly twenty years, when they
removed to Oskaloosa in 1889. Some
years after this she was called to part
with her companion.
In early life she became devoted
Christian and united with the Presby-
terrain church. After their removal to
Wisconsin both she and her husband
became members of the Baptist church.
Upon their removal to Iowa they
transferred their membership to the
First Baptist church of oska!oosa, of
which they both continued to be devot-
ed members till the time of their
death. Our sister was at the time of
her, death one of the oldest members
of the church, only one or two others
having held their membership longer
than she. In the church of which she
had been member for so many years
she was universally esteemed and be-
loved. She always took great inter
est in all the work of the church and
was a regular contributor not only to
its expansion, but also to Home and
Foreign Missions, and for many years
was a member of the local board of
the "children's Home Finding So
ciety." .ss..r-H
My acquaintance with our sister
began when first came here as pas.
tor, more than eight years ago, and
| always found her loyal and devoted
supporter. At that time, though she
had already begun to feel the weight
of years, she was still a regular at
tendant on the services of the church
at least once, If not twice, a Sunday.
To her church attendance was a priv
ilege She came not to criticise or
find fault but to receive spiritual ben
eft and she found in her church rela.
tionship a blessing and means of
grace, and it was great trial to her
when she was deprived of attendance
at the church services. But even after,
| nh, fnR
no longer possible, she continued to
feel the same interest she had always
felt in the work of the church. She
| always wanted to know about every
thing which affected its interest and
she always had an encouraging word.
and source of strength to the church
even though unable to participate in
its active work.
During the last few years OF her
life our sister suffered greatly from i'll
health and from lameness, the result
of an accident encountered years ago.
have seen her at times when she was
in constant pain and it was thought
she could not survive more than a
few days at the most, but she was
uniformly cheerful. She always seem.
ed to enjoy our calling and talking
of spiritual things and calling on our
Heavenly Father. To her, death has
indeed lost its sting. She leaves be-
hind her as the best legacy to children
and friends the memory of godly
| and consistent Christian life. And
today while we mourn because of the
surrendering of these earthly ties, we
believe she has taken her place in
that great company of whom it is
said: Blessed are the dead that die
in the Lord from henceforth says the
spirit, for they rest from their labors
and their works do follow them"
LEVINGER.-Repo has just come
to the city of the death of Moritz Lev.
niger, of Sioux Falls. South Dakota.
and a former citizen of Oskaloosa,
The man died in Chicago at the Pres
|