The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-12-12
KENNETH ECKEL

Kenneth Eckel, the Oldest son OF Mr.
and Mrs. Abraham Eckel, was born IN
Valley City April 9th, 1904, and de-
parted this life Saturday, November
3Oth, 1918, in the fifteenth year of his
age. He is survived by his parents,
two sisters and two brothers, to all OF
whom he was the object of deepest
affection, and whose sudden gong
would be an unbeatable sorrow but for
the light and hope of the christian
faith which God has vouchsafed to
them.
Trained in his home by christian
PARENTS, he was received into the men,
bership of the Epworth M. E. church
Jan. 10th, 1915, and he was almost as
faithful in his attendance at the
preaching service and Sunday school
as he was at the public schools. Ken
meth was an industrious boy, earning
his living during vacation periods, and
always was that manly, reliable lad
whom his employers could implicitly
trust.
He had elements of character that
gave promise of fine manhood;
quiet, unobtrusive, attending strictly
to his own business, boy of excellent
habits and christian principles, and
withal, a progressive student in the
High school, being at his death a
member of the sophomore class, in
which he was highly esteemed by
teachers and classmates. But Ken
meth was not bookish. He loved the
outdoor life, and the manly sports of
skating and swimming, in which he
was proficient. Our community was
thrilled last summer in hearing how
this plucky lad of fourteen had res
cued a Normal student from drowning
while bathing above the mill dam.
What commentary on the words of
Christ: "He saved others, himself
he could not save"
The community was enshrouded
with gloom on last Sabbath upon
hearing Of the untimely death of this
fine boy, and every heart today,
''weeps with them that weep" The
circumstances seem sadder in that
there were no human hands near to
rescue, and no eye to see where and
why and how he came to lose his life,
but it is comforting to know that
there was one who was near with a
heart to pity and a hand mighty to
deliver, "Precious in the sight of the
Lord is the death of His beloved" It
is comforting to know that death has
no terrors to those who are more
anxious to live we'll than to live long.
1t would not be surprising, as Whit
tier has so beautifully pictured it in
"Snowbound" that Kenneth may be
the first to greet his parents at the
of that new life, and "wel-
come them to that world, as they first
welcomed him to this" and with his
arms about them, lead them through
the fields where there shall be no more
pain and where God Himself hath
wiped Away all tears from their eyes.
Lord, he was thine, and not our own
Thou hast not done us wrong;
We thank thee for the precious loan,
Afforded US so long"
The funeral service was held We'd
nesday afternoon from his late home
and the Epworth church. His pastor,
Rev. J. S. Wilds, spoke from the text:
Il shall go to Him, but He shall not
return to me" 2 Sam. 1928. Princi-
pal Brown of the High school, spoke
concerning Kenneth in his school life.
It was fine tribute to the boy. The
floral tributes attested the high es-
TEEN in which he was held. The in
terment was at the Woodbine ceme-
terry where the mortal body was laid
at rest in the sure hope Of a glorious
resurrection