The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-06-06
Rev. Ralph f. Mitchell.

Ralph Edwin Mitchell was porn IN
Knox county, Illinois, September "a,
1871. Removed with his parentSS 70
Clarke county, Iowa, April, lSI2,
where he resided on a farm IN chlldt
hood. He removed to Weldon Whele
ceived his public school education,
years Of college work at Simpson.
On September %, 1897. at Davis
civ he was united in marriage to
Miss Mary Helen Davis and to them
was born one son, George p; VINO
with his mother suryive~the Deloved.
He began his ministry In I99o as
a local preacher, was admltted ~
the North Dakota conference l9 ~
Charges char at Brunswick, Ewing and
Nahraska' At the conference OF
feo5 "I he was ordained elder and
transferred to the Des Moines con con
ference and served with accepdao il-
ity the following charges: f G;t1,
town, Cromwell, Shannon Guy
Bradyville and Conway. re was APP
pointed to Garden Grove at the con- n :
ference Of 1916, and in December OF
the same year was transferred TO
Kellerton' where he served TO- the
Conference year 1917. The district
s svmerintendents under whom he
served we're VIM. Gorst and Thomas
Bithell of the North Nebraska con
ference and w. G. Hohanshelt, a. =.
Collins, Jay Kirkindall and n. r.
The master whom he served with IN
swerying fidelity and devotion ples ;7
Cd his jabors and his spiritual chill
dren are numbered by the scores
ranging in age from children to oc-
itogenarians, and they revere ms
name and call him blessed Tor me me
blessings he brought to them. ne
was mos. devoted by those VINO KNEW Nv
him best. He accepted Christ as as
his Savior when not more. than
thirteen wears of age, and through
faithfulness to him to whom ne gave gay,
first allegiance, grew into the con-
crete. constructive Christian thai
characterized him to the end OF ms
life He carried on his work at Mel
lerton until a few days De1eIe COL l.
ference when his bodily streng1n
m and was granted the retired rela-
tion at conference. He was remov--
ed ed to the home of his parents a,
Weldon where for more than elgh,
months he fingered in patience ana
trust. being upheld, strengthened
and happyfied by wonderful mani
festations of Divine love ana power
that gave MIN Ille NlCloay IhoI "
.nmefh the world. He fell asleep IN
Jesus on the morning of May "a,
1918. at the age of 46 years ana
months. 10 ,oovos
n mourn his departure, ms aged,
invalid mother, three brothers. tWG
sisters and many other relatives ana
friends. ~, :,
The funeral services were held in
the Methodist church at Weldon
May IS. at 1:30 o'clock p. M: con
Quoted by the pastor Rev. w. n.
Larrick. Rev. r. b. Shaw, dlstrlcs
superintendent, preached the ser
mon. Rev. w. B. Thompson, Rey.
Joseph Penn Of Shamburg, Rev. ).
5. Ellis of Kellerton, Rev. Homer a.
F;utel of Shannon City, and Rev.
Walter Morgan of Corydon, assisted
In addition to the above named Dreth-
rem, Rev. J. O. Carder, Of Humeston,
and Rev. Seth Samson, an old time
friend of the Mitchell family. were
present and joined in the services,
The floral tributes from the
charges he served were pro1use anu
beautiful, an expression from the
people of the esteem and affection In
which he was held by the folks ne
loved and for whom he gave his HE
IN unselfish service. Interment was
made in the family cemetery in the
Hebron churchyard.