Lorena Sarah (Churchill) Cole

Mrs. Harold Cole

Funeral Sunday

Mrs. Harold Cole of Cody, Nebraska, died in Omaha, Thursday of

last week and was buried in Stanton

Sunday forenoon at 11 o'clock from the Congregational church.

The sermon was preached by Rev. Edwin

Booth of Norfolk, and was a beautiful discourse. A quartette composed

of Mr. Welch, Mr. Pilger, Mrs. Eberly and Mrs. Harris sang.

The church was decorated with a profusion of flowers.

Rev. John F. Poucher delivered an appreciation and in part he said:

"I have stood on the wharf and watched a ship glide to its pier

at the quays after a short and pleasant voyage. It moved so quietly

to its place in the harbor that its motion was almost imperceptible.

I hardly knew when it was anchored and the voyage ended."

"After weeks of suffering with alternating hope and despair among

those nearest to her the end came tranquilly

and sweetly and peacefully she glided into the haven of rest."

"Lorena Sarah Churchill was born December 28, 1885, at Waterloo, Iowa.

Her father, Loren E. Churchill died when she was an infant and

one of his last requests was that she should receive the rite of baptism.

This request was granted and she was baptized by the

Rev. J. H. Rhea, D. D. of Waterloo, Iowa.

The first nine years of her life were spent in

Waterloo with her grandparents.

"While her mother was engaged in kindergarten work at Naperville, Illinois,

she became acquainted with Reverend John J. Klopp. This acquaintance

ripened into affection and they were married. Mrs. Klopp's daughter,

Lorena and Mr. Klopp's daughter Grace, stood with their parents

when the ceremony was pronounced that united them in one family.

From that time on she made her home with her mother

and adopted father and the family lived as happily as any family

could possibly live. Mr. Klopp and Lorena were deeply

attached to each other and the most confidential relations were

established between them.

No father could love his own daughter more ardently than did

Mr. Klopp and this daughter by marriage. And no daughter could

trust and honor her own father more fully than did Lorena trust

and honor her foster-father. And the children that came into the home

later only added to its happiness."

"For two years their home was in Naperville and then two years

were spent in Chicago from whence the family came to Stanton in 1898.

She was a graduate of the Stanton High School of the class of 1903.

She also was a student in Doan College.

"While living in Stanton she met Harold Cole and on October 10, 1906,

they were united in marriage. Two little ones came to bless this union of hearts. Ruth Evelyn, who is now seven years old, and Margaret Maxine,

who has now reached the age of four years.

For five years she lived with her husband in Stanton before moving to

Cody, Nebraska, where they have made their home since 1911.

"She was a member of the Congregational church, having united

with the church at this place shortly after coming to Stanton.

She was also a member of the Woman's Literacy club.

"She passed away on December 11, 1914, at the age of 28 years,

11 months and 13 days."

"And so she left us, the lovely and loving daughter, sister, wife,

mother, friend, when womanhood's morning almost touches noon,

and while the shadows still were falling to the west. While yet in love with life

and raptured with the world, she passed to silence and pathetic dust.

Yet after all, it may be best, just in the happiest, sunniest hour

of the voyage, while eager winds are kissing every sail, to dash

against the unseen rock, and in an instant hear the billows

roar above a sunken ship. For whether in mid ocean or among

the breakers of the farther shore, a wreck must mark at last

the end of each and all; and every life, no matter if its every hour

is rich with love and every moment jeweled with joy, will, at its close,

become a tragedy as sad and deep and dark as can be woven

of the warp and woof of mystery and death."

"For in this world we are in the midst of mystery.

Why should so good a woman be called so terrifically to suffer?

We think of all the days of tense anxiety when the devoted husband took

her from Norfolk to Omaha and to Rochester and wanted to take

her to Baltimore but the surgeons shook their heads."

"That husbandly affection is but a poor fiber which lasts only

while the eyes sparkle and the cheek has in it the flush of sunrise.

The loving husband held that hand as tenderly and as lovingly after

it was wasted and shrunk as when it was round and well and strong.

The intensity of the affection only increasing as the life waned.

"Why should she be taken at this age? At the very height of her

usefulness and influence? Why not wait until she was worn out with old age?

Why was it when she was so much needed y her husband and these

motherless little ones? To the sick and infirm who can look forward

to nothing but pain and suffering, death is a grateful and happy release.

To those who have accomplished the allotted span,

and whose life-work is over, it is but a lying down to sleep,

preparatory to a glorious and eternal morning. That this is so we

all reverently believe, and our natural sorrow at parting is

chastened by that belief. But when one who has not yet reached

the noon of life and in the meridian of her usefulness, with the

tendrils of affection reaching from her heart and entwining those

who art yet helpless and dependent, is suddenly and without

warning swallowed up and engulfed in the great ocean of eternity,

it comes to us as a terrible calamity, and not even the knowledge

"that He doeth all things well," can assuage our grief.

No wonder that we cry out in anguish of spirit,

"Why did he not take us, who could be so much better spared."

"It is a sorrowful thing when a useful life is cut short;

it is an awful blow to those who have to cry with stunned head

and bleeding heart. How shall we ever do without her?

It is terrible when the anxious mother, who cannot imagine

how the little children, in a hundred ways, can do without her

for a single day is stricken down. When she must leave them

behind her not knowing who will care for them, only knowing that

no mortal under heaven will care for them and watch their little ways,

and anticipate their little wants, as she would have done had

God spared her. But who of us dares presume that her

mission was not accomplished."

"And so like the lily her fragrance is still with us and as we

think of her sunny disposition and cheerful life

we will not say that her death was untimely.

Card of Thanks

We desire to extend our heartfelt thanks to the many kind

friends and neighbors who assisted us during our recent bereavement

and to those who contributed flowers.

J. J. Klopp and Family

H. A. Cole and Family

The Stanton Weekly Picket

Thursday

December 17, 1914