Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-11-27
In Loving Tribute Leroy NJ. Welsh.
when our Heavenly Fathar cont b;c

In Loving Tribute Leroy NJ. Welsh.
When our Heavenly Father sent his
Son
To serve in lands afar,
He hung in the skies of Bethlehem
A sacred Service Star.
And as our son goes forth to serve.
We hope that naught will mar
The soul of him for whom God hung
A sacred service STAR
Leroy, only son and only child of
Michael and Rose Wamsley Welsh.
was born in the township of Glen
Haven, Wis, December u, 1898. His
young life went out at Aberdeen.
Maryland, October 81, 191S-another
sacrifice for the worlds freedom.
God gives and He takes awav-all
for our good and our dead are never
dead to us until we have forgotten
them. He leadeth us and it is well
no matter where the path may lie. In
His own way, His own good time.
our Father takes matters in His own
Lands and all is well. This boy with
countless other beloved sons has Civ
en- to his country the last full meas
ure of DEVOTION" and he shall hence
dead whose noble sacrifice has won a
worlds glorious Peace.
On the winds of a world all un-
tainted with strife
Come the words, For his friends
he hath laid down his life"
He was young to die
Yet after all it may be best, Just
at the happiest, sunniest hour of all
the voyage while the eager winds are
kissing every sail, to dash against
the unseen rock and in an instant
hear the pillows roar above a sunk
en- ship. For whether in mid-ocean
or among the breakers on the farth-
er shore, a wreck must mark the end
of each and all"
Roy was a genuine, whole-souled,
typical American boy, just like hun
dreds of thousands of his kind. He
lad The gift of a clean, strong, Wig
orous body and a heart that was
brave and true. He was devoted to
his mother, caring more for the lows
of home than for the usual gaieties
and pleasures of youth Today the
dearest heritage in that home is the
memory of good boy who went to
noble DEATH Oh, the ineffable
pride in the firsteborn son-the I'M
quenchable love of the mother for
her only child, and the sorrow when
all earthly hope is swallowed up by
that strange, mysterious spell which
we call death.
Roy remained with his parents un-
til March, 1917, when he went to the
Sweeney Auto school at Kansas City,
Mo- Later he secured a lucrative DO
sltion in No. Dakota, relinquishing to
answer his country's call, July Is.
1918. He was sent first to Troy, N.
Y, thence to the cantonment in New
Jersey, and from there was trans
ferred to the proving grounds at Abb
erdeen, where he contracted influenza.
which quickly developed into pneu-
monia. His parents answered a call
to his bedside the 18th of October
The doctors in attendance advanced
no hope, and so day by day thew
watched the ebbing of the precious
life their brave boy bearing the
burden of suffering with uncomplain-
ing patience until in gentle sleep he
passed away. Neighbors and the
Catholic Knights of which body Roy
was a member, met the stricken par
ents at the train on their sad home
coming at Cassville They were ac-
companied by Sergt. Dudley Osken-
dow, who remained until after the
funeral. His sorrow was manifested
in a beautiful wreath of white car
nations tied with the national colors
and bearing in gold letters the word
"Comrade." Other floral offerings
were profuse and beautiful, the
friends from the Glen Haven neigh
borhood where the family had re-
sided for many years, joining in these
tributes of affection and sympathy.
At his late home Father Jones. his
pastor, paid touching eulogy to the
character of the boy whom he had
known since babyhood This awful
war has many debts to pay-this
among the many saddest. The sac
red dust lies in home soul-the soul
Of the soldier answers roll-call in
heaven.
Il do not mourn because you call him
dead
He is not so;
l only weep to think that l instead
Was not the one to go.
Could not he then have better here
have served
His fellow men
By living peacefully, in right un-
swerved,
His three-score years and
ten?
All, thus have l so full of dumb be-
spair
Reviewed it oft;
And sometimes, in the quieter twi-
light air,
God sends the answer soft;
Too young to die? All, mother, say
not so;
My Son, the Christ,
Of all best fitted there to serve be-
low,
Was early sacrificed
When thus | muse cease to mourn,
to feel
Internal strife;
For maybe, like his Master, he could
heal
More by his death than life
B. d. S.