The Mena weekly star., 1920-07-22
MRS. v. w. ST. JOHN PASSED
AWAY THURSDAY EVENING
Frail for Years, Was Bedfast but
Few Days of Fatal Illness
The Funeral.

lht
On Thursday afternoon, July Is,
1920, at five o'clock, as the sun
was making it's descent on the
western horizon, Mrs. v. w. st. John
passed away, surrounded by those
nearest and dearest 20 her. She an
swered the final summons bravely and
calmly, in harmony with the life she
had lived.
i Mrs St. John passed through an
operation Thursday afternoon, this
being last desperate effort to save
her life. When told by the physicians
that the end was certain within few
days unless an operation was per-
formed, and that even if this was
done there was but shadow of a
chance that she would survive, she
clearly announced that she wanted
that chance, and her appeal was
granted, but it was of no avail. She
had been brave and patient sufferer
for sometime, but thru it all she lost
none of her devotion to her husband,
her home, her children and the grand
children, conserving each day her
strength and vitality so that she
could live up to her ideals of home
maker, companion and a mother
for those and to those in her family
circle.
While her thoughts and devotion
were especially given to the home cir
Gle and all those sacred associations
that go with it, she was no less in
terested in the affairs of public life,
many times having expressed regret
that her limited strength prevented
her from taking an active part in
making this world better and sweet
er place in which to live. But who
is there to say the life as she lived it
will not be of greater power for good
on those who came under her influence.
Mrs. st. john was born September
10, 1868, near Wa rsaw, Mo. She
came to Mena on January /, 1905, and
since that day her hopes. her ideals,
her entire life have been a part of this
community. She is survived in the
immediate family by her husband, v.
w. St. John; one daughter, Mrs. c. B.
Nall;, son, Ed C. Payne of Shreve-
port; sister, Miss Mary McNeely, of
MeNeely of Springfield. Tenn. With
the exception of the brother, all were
at the bedside when the end came.
Simple Ceremonies Marked Burial.
The funeral services of Mrs. v. w.
St. John Saturday morning were in
keeping with the wishes of the de-
parted, simple and without ostenta-
ton. Shortly before 10 o'clock
friends and acquaintance began
gathering at the st. John home,
Seventh and Church streets, where
in the hallway, hidden beneath a
wealth of beautiful flowers, reposed
the gray casket that held all that
was earthly of one of Mena's most
lovable women.
Seated on the wide veranda and
beneath the spreading magnolias on
the lawn, the gathering of sympa-
thiizs::nsS thiizs::nsS friends and neighbors heard
the brief and simple ceremony of re-
spect to the departed. The Rev. F.
F. Harrell of the M. E. church, South,
read an appropriate Scriptural pass
age; the Rev. H. l.. Waters of the
Baptist church offered prayer: and
the Rev. A. M. Harral of the Chris
tian church spoke briefly of the life
| of the absent one.
A quartet composed of Mrs. w. s.
MacLafferty, Mrs. NJ. B. Legate, H.
E. Fitz and Minor Pipkin gave touch
ingly appropriate musical selections.
Six young men, employees of The
Star, acted as pail bearers at the
home and at the grave in Odd Eel
lows cemetery. While the quartet
sang softly the remains were con-
signed to their last resting place and
the mound was buried beneath the
beautiful floral tokens sent by vari-
Gus societies and friends in Mena and
elsewhere. The closing prayer was
by the Rev. A. NJ. Harral.