Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-08-19
Young Son of Rev. Priest
Passes Away After Two
Months Illness
APPENDICITIS CAUSES DEATH
Beautiful Character and Beloved BY
All Who Knew Him. Was in
His Twelfth Year

Joseph Kenneth Priest, the only
son of Rev. and Mrs. ]. w. Priest,
passed away at his parents home on
Gratiot avenue, Saturday evening at
seven o'clock, following an illness Of
eight weeks duration, caused by ap-
pendicitis. At the beginning of that
period he became suddenly i'll and
was Immediately taken to Saginaw
General Hospital in Saginaw, for an
operation. Despite all that medical
skill could do to offset the unfavor-
able conditions which were found up
ON operation, it was seen that 1t
would be impossible to save the lads
life. Five years previously the boy
had been seriously i'll and it is now
evident that it was an attack Of ap-
pendicitis. The last attack was an
outgrowth of that. When all had
been done at the hospital to save
Kenneths life he was brought home
and though the parents hope of saw
ing him was not strong, his own op-
timism never failed him and to the
end he exhibited a steady courage and
cheerful disposition remarkable in se-
gree. Except for two or three days
he was never in severe pain and un-
til the last ten minutes before death
b. ,vac clearly conscious
The death of Kenneth Priest was
unusually sad His Christian faith
was we'll founded. Eleven years in
a beautiful home could not fail to
have much TO do with the moulding
of a beautiful character; but on his
own initiative, with divine guidance,
he had made a public confession of his
faith having been baptized and be-
come member of the church Of
which his father was pastor, the First
Baptist church of this city. Intellec-
tually, the lad was nothing short Of
q genius. At nine years of age he
had already written several musical
compositions worthy of the mind of
master in music. He had a wonder
ful command of language, devoting
the hours, usually employed by his
comrades in play to the writing Of
original stories, poems etc. He pro-
fessed a great desire TO write his
tory of the world He submitted to
his father a most complete outline for
such a work 1t was 20 consist of five
volumes. Boylike he had planned to
take in the whole scope of the worlds
events. Ordinary boys of eleven
years of age do not give such under
takings serious thought He read
works on history by the hour and had
a fund of information worthy of a
much more mature mind. Though a
rugged boy he did not devote much
time TO play with other boys, much
preferring TO delve into a book of
history or poetry His future as an
intellectual genius seemed unusually
bright This September he would
have entered the seventh grade. A
source Of deep consolation to the par
ents was the assurance expressed in
the funeral addresses Of Rev. Jack
son and Mason, that called at such an
early period, his life had yet welded
wide influence upon the church OF
which he is a member, upon the com
munity and upon whomever he met
that God had called him to a higher
enterprise.
Kenneth Priest was born in Fenton
Michigan, March 18th, 1905. In 1911
he moved with his parents to Alma
The funeral services were held in the
Baptist church Monday afternoon al
one thirty o'clock.
The services were opened by prayer
by Rev. William II. Mason. This wa.
followed by very beautiful solo b.
Miss Mary Sharp, accompanied b.
Miss Velma Sharp who sang 20 Saw
iour, hear me-" An address by Rev
j. Frank Jackson followed. With wei
expressed words he dwelt upon tn,
fact that though the life had been 81
short and seemingly cut off at sucl
an unreasonable time yet it had no
been lived in vain. Even in the hospi
tai in which he was confined the eff
feet of his strong character was not
ed. A quartette composed of Mr.. L
A. Sharp, John Chick, Mrs. Johl
Becker and Miss Velma Sharp SAM
two hymns which had been favorite
of the lad, "Day is Dying in the West
and Lead, Kindly Light" Rev. Ma
son then gave short address emphs
sizing the fact that although it seem
ed that such a life would have bee
such a strong factor later, that Go
needed him for a higher work. Rev
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