Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-04-18
GRANDMA BOWEN
Mrs. Hugh G. Bowen, an Old Pioneer
Lady Died at Her Home Tuesday,
April 9, 1912
Margaret Shelledy was born into this
"vale of two sternities" fifty six wears

Margaret Shelledy was born into this
''vale of two sternities" fifty six years
ago, in Henry County.
Margaret Bowen fell into that dream.
less sleep that kisses down her eyslids
still, April 9, 1912, at the old homestead
where ahe was brought bride thirty
three years ago, the beloved wife Of
our neighbor, Hugh L. Bowen, who is
left so lonely while the shadows fall
toward the West, she who was his sun
shine, vine and flower All my life I
have known her. She it was, who
stood beside my cradle with the ones
who welcomed me to life, and the name
by which all who know me closest call
me, she gave me of her fund of romance
and affection. She was friend who
took abiding interest in the souls she
knew and loved. She "loved the beau
tiful, and was with color, form and
music touched to tears" Hers was
restless spirit, longing, growing, striv-
ing for the heights and the dawning of
a grander day.
She was the mother of five children,
one who left her in infancy, her first
born daughter, for the silent and
pathetic dust.
She had been an almost constant
sufferer, her physical strength being
always delicate and her vitality despite
the relentless energy, very low. Her
intellect was above the medium. She
was fluent oonversationalist and held
to many lofty ideals. She was ever on
the side of progress and took keen
interest in the doings of the world. In
her last days she lived more secluded,
but her natural tendencies were toward
people, when her strength was suffi-
cient for their companionship. She
slung tenaciously to the ties of kindred
and though early orphaned, the one
sister she adored, who passed away
only few years SINCE was to her in
the stead of both their parents and
from whose loss she never could reco-
Yer. Her children were her ever
constant ambition and to her husband
she bore heart full of eternal love and
gratitude for his never failing Kindness
and indulgence, her of whom he was so
proud of her taste, her mentality and
her ompanionship. The last time they
together visited us, they sang the old
songs OF their early days together, and
it was a. ifall theyears had rolled away
and they were again the young lovers,
who courted in our home the same
year that was born. She had craved
to see me settled in my own home, but
the visit she had hoped to make was
never granted by her health, and the
ideal man had promised to present
her Came with me day too late, only
to receive from the voiceless lips of the
unreplying dead, No word of loving
welcome and congratulation. "Ws
strive to lock beyond the heights, and
listening love can hear the rustic of q
wing" On the beautiful satin couch
OF her casket, white and pure as her life
she lay as fair and tlowerlike as in the
days gone by. 1t was not as death,
only as peaceful, restful, painless
sleep. To the beautiful Mausaleum in
Atlantic they bore her sacred dust, and
it is not as if the grave held her.
Her influence and her memory
abides with all her people and her
friends. Margaret farewell Let US
hope that you are better now.
ETHEL SIMPsoN-TRUMAN,
Creston, Iowa