Bridget (Feehan) Grady (1887 - 1922)

FEEHAN, COTTER, GRADY, MORAN, CASTLE, GAULE, SHEEHAN, STONE, COADY, LAWLESS, DROST, GRODEN, MURPHY

Posted By: DJ Scieszinski
Date: 3/27/2017 at 16:17:12

THE MELROSE BELL
Thursday, July 27, 1922

Obituary

The passing of Mrs. James Grady in the immediate hour of Death when mourners stand around the bier and gloom creeps over their countenance the real amount of public grief can only be measured by the sad experience of those around us. Relatives mourn their loved ones but when the community in which the deceased lived his or her life joins with tear stained eyes there is indeed real sorrow expressed. Such indeed was the case when sorrowing relatives and friends gathered at the depot in Albia to receive into their midst again the mortal remains of Mrs. Bridget Grady. Grief which comes from the heart - in the loss of this noble woman.

Mrs. Grady died at Mercy Hospital, Ottumwa, Iowa, Sunday evening July 9, 1922 from burns received in her own home by the explosion of a 5-gallon kerosene oil can which on Friday, previous, she used in starting a fire in her cook stove about 11 o'clock A. M. of that day the oil can exploded and hurled itself through a window and left the kitchen all ablaze. Mrs. Grady ran out the door and was met by her husband who succeeded in extinguishing the fire. Her clothes were very nearly all burned except about 10 or 12 inches wide around her waist. She was burned almost beyond recognition. Doctors were sent for. Dr. Moran from Melrose and Dr. Castle from Albia were soon there. They put her in an auto and hurried to an Ottumwa hospital where they rendered her every medical assistance possible and the nurses and care-takers of the hospital did all in their power and skill to alleviate her misery. She had great hopes of getting well. She said “I will get well, I am not going to die.” She was conscious to the last. She talked to relatives and friends very freely, spoke to them with good cheer and ______. Her home is located about 80 ____ northwest of the stone Catholic church at Georgetown, Iowa.

Mrs. Grady was the wife of James Grady, a son of Michael Grady, an old pioneer of the Georgetown Parish. So was her father, Mr. William Feehan, Sr., an old pioneer in the Georgetown Parish and came here in 1861. She was the youngest child of a family of thirteen children, all born in the Georgetown Parish. Her mother died January 2, 1908. Her father made his home with her until this accident happened. Her oldest sister, Mary Ann Kennedy, died some years ago.

Sisters and brothers surviving her are as follows: Mrs. M. Sheehan, Mrs. Geo. Stone, Mrs. James Coady and Mrs. Frank Lawless; James and William, John and Patrick all of this county of Monroe and Mrs. Doctor Drost of North Platte, Neb.; Mrs. Will Groden of Oklahoma and Bartley of Davenport, Iowa.

All her brothers and sisters attended her funeral except her brother Bartley could not be located in time to attend the funeral and her sister, Mrs. Wm. Groden was not well enough to attend.

Mrs. Grady was born Dec. 19, 1887. She was married to Mr. James Grady April 19, 1909 at the Georgetown church by the Rev. Patrick Gaule the residing pastor. There were two children born in this marriage, both preceding her in death. She leaves a sad and bereaved husband to mourn her untimely death. His hands were severely burned in trying to extinguish the fire in her clothes. Words cannot express the sadness and grief in a home where a loving husband is left to mourn the loss of his faithful and true partner. Mrs. Grady was an exemplary woman. She was a kind and dutiful woman. She saw the good qualities in every one and excused every fault in others. Her refinement and her calm dignity, gentle nature, and true worth was but known by those who best knew her. The keen sickle of death removes her from her relatives and friends and neighbors, but leaves to comfort them her benign influence and noble example.

Her funeral was held Wednesday morning, July 12, from her family residence. Requiem High Mass was celebrated by Rev. P. J. Murphy, her pastor. Reverend P. J. Murphy delivered the funeral sermon. He spoke about the Life of the Departed dwelling on her Christian life, her love for religion in the welfare of her home, her noble Christian character and the loss she was to her loving husband which brought tears to the eyes of everyone present.

Her remains were gently borne to the cemetery nearby followed by a large company of friends and neighbors which showed the esteem in which she was held. She was laid beside her two children that preceded her in the slope where the evening sun will cast his last golden rays and where angels will keep watch until time shall be no more.

A Friend.