Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-27
In MemOriam.

On Saturday, February %, 1918, at
Monrovia, California, a long and beau
tiful life, that of Mary Black LaForce,
wife of Dir. James w. LaForce, reached
peaceful close after an illness OF but
few days The funeral, attended by
a large number of friends and neigh
bors, was held Friday afternoon, Febru-
airy %, the Rev. r. d. WEIGH of Mon
rovia Congregational church conduct
ing the impressive services, assisted by
Rev. Clark H. Marsh, Of the Christian
church. .a. ....E-
Mary Jane LaForce, nee Black, was
born at Millersburg, Ohio, November
~, 1882, being the youngest Of five
children, two SONS and three daughters
born to Samuel and Martha Black. At
the age of nine she removed with her
parents to Lee county, Iowa. 1t was
in Iowa, the state Of her adoption,
that the most active years of her life
was spent Her education, begun in
Millersburg, was continued in the pub
lie schools Of her new home until she
was fitted for entrance to the semi
nary for young women conducted at
Pennington, Iowa, where she was pre-
pared for her chosen work-that OF
teaching.
1t was on August 2, 1854-more than
fifty-eight years ago-that Mary Jane
Black became the bride Of DR.. James
w. LaForce. the ceremony taking place
at the home of the brides parents In
Lee county, Iowa. This union, which
proved a most happy one, was blessed
by the birth of four daughters, all OF
whom survive their mother except
Carrie, the eldest, who died in child
hood. The remaining daughters are
Mrs. w. H. Baker Of Monrovia: Mrs.
Richard Swinney, of Bloomfield, Iowa,
"a Miss Jessie LaFOrce of Monrovia.
Mrs. LaForce was woman Of super
ior intellectual gifts and rare strength
of character. She had a sincerely
religious nature which led her
wherever she made her home, to
identify herself with the churchlife
of the community and to take a deep
interest in every branch OF church
work. Her religion was Of the sweet
and simple and wholesome kind that
made her a wise counsellor in the
family circle. kind and gracious
neighbor, a loyal friend. Always
lover of the real things Of life, OF the
genuine rather than the artificial. she
could not tolerate sham In any form
Her friends were chosen not because
OF their exalted position, nor from
anything that they possessed, but fol
what they we're; and once chosen
neither time nor distance could mar
her loyalty or lessen her devotion.
Fortunately, Mrs. LaForce's life was
one of sufficient ease and freedom from
care to permit her to devote much
time to reading, which was lifelong
pleasure. From her quiet fireside she
looked out serenely upon the great
surging world. keeping pace with its
hest thought and its most stirring
activities. She was keen student OF
men and affairs. She was interested
in the people who are doing things
the men and women who are making
history. She knew, almost personally
the eminent clergymen, the great
writer's. the leading statesmen. the
distinguished lecturers, the reformers
knew them because they came with
| in the field of her daily observation
through her reading. Her familiarity
with the every day life, the scenery
and the art of foreign countries
gained solely through reading and
study. was often a source of surprise
(, to her friends. for her knowledge
frequently surpassed that of people
who had spent years in travel. But
while she was thoroughly informed In
, old world matters, her supreme en-
thusiasm was for her own country anc
tits institutions. Her patriotism was
a. fine thing to see She was proud
of belonging to family that had suf
fered and sacrificed for the sake o
/ country She was a loyal Daughte
tof the American revolution and hat
attended one of the meetings OF he
Ichapter the Monday preceding he
death. Her recollections Of the civi
war. particularly az II affected south