The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1917-19??, 1918-05-18
TRIBUTE TO "MAMA"


that death rides on every passing
breeze and turks in every flower, that
it visits every home sooner or later
and that family ties are constantly
being broken, but what one among us
ever needs this warning. Because she
was needed, because she loved her
children, was so anxious and capable
of shaping their lives correctly and
was so proud of their achievements,
I believed she would be spared to
spend her mature years in the peace
and happiness that comes from a life
properly spent and surrounded by
large family of devoted children.
wonder if it is any harm to state that
believe she deserved to be, but she
was called in the prime of life, just
before she reached the first milestone
after the half century mark, and We
must submit to the will of Him who
doeth all things for the best. Ambi-
tious for her children, willing slave
for their welfare, she had much to
live for. Apparently without realiz-
ing that she was going to die she
planned for the future happiness OF
those she loved and her part in it al
most with her last breath. If any part
of death may be called blessing 1t
was the fact that in her illness of
more than two months she never had
a moments pain. She bore the afflic-
ton with true christian fortitude and
waited patiently and prayerfully for
the Improvement that never came.
She had the benefit of the best medi-
cal skill in East Tennessee, and in
fhe faint hope that something more
might be done l took her to the Mayo
clinic at Rochester, Mimi, in the fight
against fate, and not until DR.. VIII
Mayo said the case was hopeless did
give up. / did my utmost and she was
satisfied that all was done that human
agencies could do. tried to save her
and she wanted to live but the Lord
willed otherwise and on Sunday morn
ing, April IA, just as the first streaks
of gray appeared in the east she
breathed her last as peacefully as
babe goes to sleep. Without pain or
the twitching of muscle she sank
into that peaceful sleep that knows no
waking on this earth and the soul of
noble christian wife and mother wing
ed its flight to its maker. While she
left Cy, Jr., Mary Gertrude, Jack, Mil
dred, Kenneth, Belle, Malcolm, Will
lam and Papa" to mourn her depart
ure for a better and brighte life can
picture her arrival in heaven and her
reception there by Edith, Eleanor,
Stacy and Ruth. 1t must be wonder
full revelation when you realize that
the separation from the others can
only be a short time at best. Is it
worth the trip? Who doubts it?
On February ~, 1889 Stacy Crumly
became my wife and our twenty-ninth
anniversary was celebrated in the
Hospital where she had
been taken two weeks previous on ac-
count Of her first serious illness. Her
life was an open book with everypage
written full of good deeds and pure
and wholly unselfish thoughts. Was
she loyable? Go to the greatest and
humblest of those who knew her and
ask them. With one accord they will
say yes. She gave to me and the
children and received from us the I'M
divided and unselfish love Of a life
time. Now that she has passed to
her reward we have all, dedicated our
lives to her wishes with the ultimate.
hope of reuniting the family in that
brighter world above where the weary
are at rest May God keep us stead
fast.
The remains were la1d 10 rest III
Oak Hill Cemetery beside her departed
children and were covered with beau
tiful floral tributes of loving friends
and relatives, there to rest until the
graves and the sea shall be cammand-
ed to give up their dead,
It seems but yesterday that I led you
to the alter. Mama, conceded to be one
of the most beautiful girls in East
Tennessee, and you were. AS the
events of the intervening years pass
in memory tonight realize how
futile It is to plan for this life. The
happy events, the disappointments ana
the sorrows almost oyerwhelm me.
recall how we planned Buiitless and
struggled to make life worth while for
the children, and how proud you were
Of them and their little successes. and
/ pledge my life anew, my darling, to
the care and welfare Of those left with
me. This line from an old song you
loved so well means more to me than