Wm. Claud Zwickey 1878-1916

ZWICKEY, MILLER, ERB

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 9/20/2018 at 09:50:12

16 March 1916 - West Branch Times

Wm. Claud Zwickey was born Sept. 6, 1878, at Springdale and died March 11, 1916, at the Oakdale Sanitarium, being 37 years 6 months and 5 days old.

He grew to manhood in the village of Springdale, where he secured his education and soon thereafter he entered the Railway mail service as his chosen occupation, where he gave the best years of his life in the services of the government, and only gave up the work when the disease, which caused his death, fastened itself upon him.

He was united in marriage to Evelyn Mae Miller of Storm Lake, May 15, 1901, who passed from this life June 6, 1913, at their home in Cedar Rapids. To this union was born four children, three of whom are living, Mavis, aged 12 years, Ruth Rosiline, age 11 years and Julia, age 7 years, the other child passing away in infancy. The married life, though short, was very happy, and the influence of the christian lives of the father and mother will prove a comfort and a blessing in the lives of the children. Claud was converted in the Billy Sunday meetings at Cedar Rapids several years ago and united with the Central Park Presbyterian church and was a faithful member and true Christian to the day of his death.

He was a patient and cheerful sufferer and proved a great inspiration to the sufferers around him during his last months at the sanitarium. The writer of this obituary had the privilege of being with him several times during his sickness and always found him cheerful and full of hope and longing to meet the loved ones who were awaiting him on the other shore.

Only a few days before his death, in conversation with him, he said, "After all it isn't hard to think of dying--when there is a hope beyond--I am perfectly resigned, and am just waiting for the call, and it wont be long." Such perfect faith, and such a beautiful passing away--at peace with all the world ready to meet his God. He was a true friend, and it is our privilege to have but few such friends in this life.

He leaves to mourn his departure, the children, an aged mother residing in West Branch, a sister, Mrs. A. I. Erb of Springdale; four brothers, John of Ann Arbor, Mich., George of St. Paul, Minn., Albert of Morning Sun, Ia., and Walter of West Branch, Ia.; besides a host of relatives and friends, both here and at Storm Lake, the home of his wife's people.

A funeral service was held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the home of the mother, conducted by Rev. Chas. Mesner, pastor of the Friends church. The body was taken to Storm Lake for burial.