The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-02-13
A. j. MATTHIAS IS NO MORE.

1t is sad message The Gate City
brings to it's readers today in the an
lnouncement of the death of A. j. Ma
thias. The sorrowful event occurred
at his home in this city last evening,
wholly Unexpectedly to the community
at large to which it comes as a great
shock as we'll as g profound grief.
No death in Keokuk in recent years
has come closer to larger number of
people locally than that here recorded.
Mr.. Matthias held unique position in
liar relation to it. He was every
body's friend and was respected, loved
and trusted by everybody. Everyone
felt free to go to him at any time for
counsel in the affairs of everyday life
and everyone trusted him instinctively
and absolutely. Best of all, he was
wholly worthy the confidence he in
spired. He was the SOU of honor and
the personification Of unselfishness. He
was conscientious, straightforward,
candid, highminded, impartial, incor-
ruptible, constant and loyal in every
relation in life. His sympathies were
acute and active and his charity as
broad as human needs. AS nearly as
lit is possible for human being to live
a perfect life in the midst of the
worlds present day activities and de-
mands that life was lived by the useful
/ and honorable citizen whose untimely
end this entire community today SO
profoundly deplores.
/ BY reason of the general recognition
| of his probity and trustworthiness Mr..
Matthias was called upon to fill many
responsible positions in private and
social life, whose duties he discharged
with conspicuous ability and fidelity.
Many, is not most of these were OF a
/ fiduciary character, and his name will
ever be associated in an honorable
1 way with Keokuk's best interests in
i this line. His services in various re
sponsible capacities through long Sc
ries of years in connection with the
Keokuk Savings Bank are worthy OF
especial mention. He was also trus
tee and treasurer of number OF or
CARNATIONS and societies of which he
: was a member In civic circles he
was particularly prominent as a mem
Der of the society of Odd Fellow:
whose exalted principles he exempt
, fed and honored in his daily life. Mr.
, Matthias had no taste for public posi-
ton or the turmoil of a political career
He preferred the companionshfp o
family and friends and found his great
: est happino IS in promoting their wei
fare. His tastes were simple, in keep
ing with the simplicity of his charac
, ter, and his life throughout was SIN
gularly pure and sweet.
, Many will find it difficult to realiz
> that the man so generally known an
! so highly esteemed is no more. ii
/. has been for so long time an IN
tegral and useful part of the commun
ty that his place and part in 1t ha
come to be regarded as fixed and III
changeable. He will be greatly an
sadly missed as husband, father, neigh
, Dor. friend and citizen, but he leave
t behind him the priceless heritage OF
: good name and serviceable, honol
| able life. His record is without spc
r or stain, even as his character wa
: without flaw. Happily the intiuenc
9 of such life does not end with !
: AS was once pointed out by Henr
1 Ward Beecher, when the sun goes d.
: low the horizon he is not set; tn
t heavens glow for full hour after hi
/ departure. And when good ma
a sets. the sky of this world is luminou
: long after he is out of sight. Such
man cannot die out of this worl'
When he goes he leaves behind niue
Iof himself. Being dead he speaks.