Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-08-10
MRS. PARCHER
PASSES AWAY
SEVENTY-THREE YEARS A
LOVED AND RESPECTED {
WAUSAU RESIDENT


er a service to the community which
no historian will ever overlook, Mrs.
Mary Helen Parcher, widow of the late
Robert E. Parcher, passed away at her
home on the corner of Third and
Grant streets Sunday afternoon at
$3.50. With her were members of her
immediate family, who have been at
constant attention since Mrs. Par
cher's illness last March assumed a
more serious aspect. Death was not
unexpected and friends are content IN
the knowledge that quiet sleep, in
which there is no disturbance, will
mean eternal blessing for her.
The late Mrs. Parcher was born on
October %, 1845, at Milwaukee, to
which place her father and mother,
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles and Elizabeth
Taylor Single, had come from Hert-
ford, England, in 1886. Two years
after Mrs. Parcher's birth, in 1847, the
family moved northward, to Wausau,
then only pinery boasting hardly a
handful of sturdy pioneers, to make
their permanent home-to mould it in
a wilderness among persons of honest
heart and constructive temperament.
When old enough the deceased enter
ed the little white school, and at
tended it for several years in company
with others among whom are Mrs. Su-
sic Single, Mrs. Walter Armstrong,
Mrs. Dayton Adams, Walter Alexan-
der and George Clark. In 1865, she
was united in marriage with the late
Robert E. Parcher, who preceded her
in death on December 4, 1907. They
were married by justice of the peace,
Eli r. Chase, whose name is also re-
corded among Wausau's pioneers, this
because of the fact that no minister
was then resident in the village. Mr..
Parcher came to Wausau in 1858, and
from the start was one of the most
energetic and progressive of Wausau's
business men. He early became iden-
titled with the lumber industry and
always was active in matters Of civic
interest, having occupied the mayors
chair between 1891 and 1894. Many
other offices were rendered to him
also, and in them all, Mrs. Parcher
extended a helping hand. Several
years after their marriage son was
born who died in infancy. During
their early married life they resided
on First street ever the general mer-
chandising store which Mr.. Parcher
owned and conducted. About 1870
they built a home on Third and Grant
streets, which Mrs. Parcher has oc-
cupied since the death of her
husband and which, only by altera-
lions, has been changed since erected.
Together Mr.. and Mrs. Parcher cele-
brated their forty-second wedding an
niversary in 1907.
The deceased was a member of ST.
Johns Episcopal church and had,
since its inception, been among its
most steadfast and active workers.
Even before the establishment of a
church hall, in which regular hours of
service could be held the late Mr.. and
Mrs. Charles Single and Mrs. Parcher,
were active in arranging and holding
religious services in old Forest hall,
which adjoined Mr. Singles hotel.
These three were among the charter
members of st. Johns church. Not
until Mrs. Parcher was confined to her
home did she discontinue her constant
and Wgilent interest and work with
that church body. The Episcopal
church has always seemed bound to
her and she to it, a history of one
has seemed impossible without a BIZ
ography of the other. A wonderfully
pleasing personality, serious pur-
pose in life, a desire to help everyone
but to turn her assistance to the most
needy, were characteristics of Mrs.
Parcher which welded people to her,
which compelled them to love her,
and which have assisted much to
spread her splendid name. Good &C
tions and kind deeds have wrought
for the deceased a community stand
ing that is distinct.
The Episcopal Church Guild and
Women's Auxiliary of st. Johns
church were organizations to which
she put much of her time and energy.
She held offices in both organizations,
was president of both and treasurer
of the former for a number of years.
But not altogether did she confine her
interests to church work. Charitable
institutions were ever certain of her
assistance and generous contributions
to aid them in their work were forth
coming from her own purse in many
instances. Mrs. Parcher was direc-
tor of St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary
for several years and actively assisted
at its organization. She was an ar
dent champion of the Federated Char
tiles and one of the last evenings she
spent out of her home was at a meet
ing of the Federated Charities. An
other organization into which she put
heart and soul was the Children's In
Urinary Throughout her life, the
late Mrs. Parcher sacrificed much of
her time and strength to assist in
benefcent, charitable work, rather
than to idle her time away with social
activities. There are few persons
who have chung more tenaciously to
rigid, but beautiful rules of Christian
conduct. Her life has been a model,
and more than one character has been
moulded by its beauty, thoughtfulness,
| care and consideration for others
Mrs. Parcher was for many years a
| member of the Ladies' Literary So
| ciety and only recently did she with
draw from it.
In 1911 the late Mrs. Parcher pre-
sented beautiful electric light stand
ards to the Wausau Public Library and
the city, in memory of her husband
In making the presentation, G. D.
| Jones then said:
| L
| useful life he was greatly blessed
with the love and support of the girl
bride for whom he proudly and low
| ingly reared the home in the forest.
and who remained by his side to the
end. She knew the man, Robert Par
cher, best of us all. She knew his
tastes, his dislike of display, and his
appreciation of the beauty of useful
ness. She knew and she shared with
him his generous love for this city.
She appreciates the natural beauty OF
this location and our opportunities to
make it more beautiful, wholesome
and enjoyable. Wausau is and always
has been busy city. It has perhaps
given too little thought to the refin-
ing influence of art and though this
building is justly known as the most
J artistic and parTaaf of bind IN thz