Mary Louise "Louise" Parkhurst
PARKHURST, GIFFEN, FRANZ, LAWRENCE, BRETT, ELLIOTT, WALKER
Posted By: CJeanealogy (email)
Date: 12/9/2017 at 14:17:56
The Marion Sentinel Thursday July 11, 1912
Death of Mrs. D.M. Parkhurst.
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In the death of Mrs. D.M. Parkhurst, which occurred last Saturday evening at her late home in Marion, much sorrow and regret is expressed throughout the city. It was generally known that she had underwent a difficult surgical operation at St. Luke's hospital, Cedar Rapids, about a month before, but the favorable reports had led her friends to believe that the danger point had passed and that she was getting along nicely.
Mrs. Parkhurst was born in Marion, being the daughter of Judge and Mrs. J.D. Giffen, the former deceased. She had endeared herself to all with whom she had come in contact, and her many friends had watched with deep concern her heroic battle with ill health during the eight years she had been afflicted. Besides her husband and son, she is survived by her mother, Mrs. J.D. Giffen, and sister Margaret (Mrs. Jay Franz), of Marion; and two other sisters, Josephine, wife of A.D. Lawrence, of Lawton, Oklahoma, and Dora, wife of Bert Brett, of Mason City, Iowa. The funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at the family residence and were largely attended, the floral offerings being unusually large. The brief services were conducted by Rev. W.W. Gist, of Cedar Falls, formerly of Marion, assisted by Rev. G.A. McKinley, the present pastor of the Marion Congregational church. Mrs. Mary Beaven, of Cedar Rapids, sang "Crossing the Bar," it being beautifully rendered. The pallbearers were: F.A.H. Greulich, Ed Sigfred, H.A. Stearns, E. Hollingsworth, C.E. Gordon and T.T. Williams. The Theristrial club, of which Mrs. Parkhurst was a member, attended in a body.
The out-of-town relatives in attendance were: Mrs. M.E. Parkhurst, Geo. J. Parkhurst, Miss Lizzie Elliott and Henry P. Elliott, all of Chicago; Mrs. M.L. Elliott and Mrs. W.E. Elliott, of Grand Rapids, Mich; Mr. and Mrs. Bert Brett, of Mason City, Iowa; Mrs. Wm. Giffen, of Central City, and Mrs. Laura Walker, of Cedar Rapids.
The following sketch of the life of the deceased was read by Mr. Gist:
Mrs. Louise Giffen Parkhurst was born in Marion, Iowa, April 16, 1872, and died July 6, 1912. The most of her life was spent in this community, and so happier or more cheerful girl ever tripped along the streets of this city. She was educated in the public schools and also attended Coe and Grinnell colleges. On October 4, 1893, she was united in marriage to Daniel M. Parkhurst. The fruit of this union was one son, Henry. The husband and son survive her. In early life she united with the Congregational church, and, as health permitted, she was active in work for the Master. As a young lady she devoted much time to visiting the "shut ins," and she did much to cheer the hearts of the lonely. She was a member of a ladies' club in the city and was faithful in the duties it imposed upon her. She had a wonderfully happy and sunny disposition, and she radiated sunshine in her home and in the social circle in which she moved. She was a faithful and loyal wife, and she tried to be cheerful even when her suffering was really intense. She was a most loving, devoted and self-sacrificing mother. Forgetful of herself, she lived for her husband and son. She felt she must live to see Henry graduate, but the loving Father had ordered otherwise.
For eight years she was a great sufferer and her life hung by a very slender thread. Much of her life during that period, if it could be revealed, would be found to be actually heroic. Yes, the heroism of the battlefield is very insignificant when compared with the heroisms of humble life. She had some great questions to decide as to the treatment regarding her health, but she decided them only after earnest prayer to God for guidance. In those days, when her soul was sorely tried, her faith in God and her faith in the power of prayer grew stronger and stronger. As her feet trod the narrow path that separates this world from the spirit world, we may be sure that the loving Master made her pathway bright. Then she fell asleep. The loving watchers could hardly realize that it was her final sleep. Pasted in her Bible was this little verse, which is a fitting close for this sketch:
Lie down and sleep;
Leave it with God to keep
This sorrow which is part
Now of thy heart
When thou dost wake
If still 'tis thine to take
Utter no wild complaint;
Work waits thy hands,
If though shouldst faint
God understands.
After paying a loving tribute to the memory of Mrs. Parkhurst and speaking of his long acquaintance with her, and the strong bonds that bind together those who have known each other so long, Mr. Gist closed his remarks with this poem:
NO TIME LIKE THE OLD TIME.
There is no time like the old time, when you and I were young.
When the buds of April blossomed and the birds of springtime sung!
The garden's brightest glories by summer suns are nursed,
But oh, the sweet violets, the flowers that opened first!
There is no place like the old place, where you and I were born.
When we lifted first our eyelids on the splendors of the morn.
From the milk-white breast that warmed us, from the clinging arms that bore,
Where the dear eyes glistened o'er us that will look on us no more.
There is no friend like the old friend, who has shared our morning days.
No greeting like his welcome, no homage like his praise;
Fame is the scentless sunflower, with gaudy crown of gold;
But friendship is the breathing rose, with sweets in every fold.
There are not times like the old times, --they shall never be forgot!
There is no place like the old place,--keep green the dear old spot!
There are no friends like the old friends,--may Heaven prolong their lives!
There are no loves like our old loves,--God bless our loving wives!
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10183112/mary-louise-parkhurst
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