The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1919-06-27
FUNERAL OF MIR. G. B. RIDDICK


Of the late Clarence B. Riddick, which
arrived here from Weldon early this
morning, will be held at the grave IN
the Baptist cemetery this afternoon,
conducted by DR.. Charles Anderson and
Rev. Reuben Meredith. The funeral
procession will start from the home
Of Mrs. A. M. Riddick, mother Of the
deceased, at three CLOCK
Cut down in his prime, being but
thirty five years Of age, with every
thing to live fora happy family and
splendid prospects, and the circum-
stances under which he died made the
lying in state very heartrendlng
affair. Friends who had known Clar-
ence since his early baby days came
to the side of the bier and sobbed at /,
the loss Of a man Of SO much promise
But he died as he lived-a Christian
| Gentleman.
A slight operation took the deceas-
ed to Baltimore that he might be re-
ieved of asthmatic trouble His
tonsils had to be removed and a slight
growth cut away, but none of his re
latlves, least Of all his faithful WIRE
and companion, anticipated any dan
ger so that Mr.. and Mrs. Riddick
journeyed from Richmond alone to the
Mercy Hospital and there the deceas-
ed laughingly left his wife for the OBJ
ferating table from which he was re
moved a corpse
+! What makes the affair so sad is that
his brave little wife awaited his re
turn in the room allotted to the pa
tlent and for two hours stayed there
until the sister nurse came to her and
ask Mrs. Riddick to go to the chapel
to pray. This they did and returning
she saw the surgeon with his street
clothes on which forced her to rne
knowledge of the fatality, then the
doctor told her he never got thru the
Operation before the heart suddenly
stopped. The doctors worked upon him
for upwards Of an hour but were IN
able to resuscitate life.
Alone in a city hospital IS the path
etc figure OF the wife that had been
loved so well and cared for so ten
derby through the dozen years Of mar
RED life. Death she felt at that mo-
ment preferable, but there were those
two little sons away off in Scotland
Neck awaiting her return, and the re
turn Of a father who would never
Ispeak again SO, with Christian forr1-
tude and a unrealizable strength which
comes only to women in times Of stress
she gathered the threads of life to-
gether and did the things her nushan
would have had her do.
Throughout the day she waited the
coming of her relatives who arrived af-
ter the midnight hour, then some oe-
gree Of safety fell upon her heart ana
she could unbosom herself to those
who loved her.
Clarence Riddick was also a faith
full and attentive son of his widow
Ell mother. During the thirteen years
that he has been away from her IRE
side he has not failed a single time
to write his mother twice a week. In
early days he, being the eldest son,
was her great strength through the
days Of trial and sorrow which passed
over this household, so that it is lit
tie wonder that the mother is pros
trated with grief.
The two brothers, chums rather are
they to each other, are crushed WIN
the loss Of the best of friend and ad-
visor, but there is one silver lining to
their sOrroW-that he was devoutiv
Christian in belief and action and
wherever he lived there he allied him
self with his Sunday school and his
Church.
The pall-bearers who carry his cas-
ket today to its last resting place are
his old friends Of years ago and are as
staunch today as when they were
boys together making their way in va
rious livlihoods. These are: Messrs
W. II. Mcdowell, Hugh johnson, J. II.
Alexander, ,Jr., Charles j. Shields, Les
ter l.. Cherry and Charles T. Law
renee.
: A numerous body of friends from
: II CT int oil