OBITUARY: Michael Kildee, 1845-1896, Mitchell County, Iowa

[Source: Mitchell County Press-News or Mason City Globe Gazette]



                   Sudden Death of Michael Kildee   

Like a clap of thunder from a cloudless sky came the news last Friday
morning that Michael Kildee of Cedar township, was dead, having passed
quietly away without a note of warning early on the morning of that date.

He had been in his usual health and on the previous day had been in Osage,
leaving there at about 5 o'clock p.m. of that date, and had retired at
his usual hour in apparently good health.  His wife, as was her custom,
arose at about 5:30 o'clock and upon striking a light observed the
unnatural pallor of his countenance and called her son who was sleeping
in another room and who upon examination found that life was extinct.

He was laying in a natural position and the calm, peaceful repose of his
countenance, indicated that he had passed away without a struggle.  The
son hastily saddled a horse and rode swiftly to the home of Byron Leighton,
whom he summoned and from there to Osage, for Dr. Whitley, who upon an
examination of the body judged that death had probably occurred an hour
before the discovery was made.

Michael Kildee, the subject of this obituary, was born in New York state,
March 14th, 1845, and died at this home in Cedar Township October 23, 1896.
With his parents he came to Mitchell county in 1856, and in 1872 was
married to Miss Lucy Stone who with five of the seven children born to
this union, survives him.

Mr. Kildee was one of the active, progressive farmers of this county,
Broad minded, genial and companionable he was strong and active politically
and socially, and a little less than a year before his death he was
elected for his district composed of townships of Cedar, Rock and Newburg,
as County Supervisor and also held the office of town clerk of his township
at the date of his death.

He was raised in the Catholic faith but many years ago he joined the M. E.
church, of which he was since been a consistent member.  He was also a
member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the chapter lodge and also
that of Knight Templar.

His funeral was held at the M. E. church in this city at 2 o'clock p.m.
Sunday under the auspices of the Masons.

An escort composed of Sir Knights W. L. Eaton, Matt Creelman, J. A. Smith,
M. Hackett, J. W. Annis, Geo. Chandler, S. E. Grettenberg and Franz
Rundborg, was sent by the commandary of Knight Templars to the home
to act as pall bearers and guard of honor to the remains.

Over 70 carriages containing neighbors and friends of the deceased
followed the hearse bearing his body from the home to the church in
Osage and to its final resting place, and over 200 teams with vehicles
were tied along Main street and in various parts of the city.

An impressive sermon was preached by the pastor, C. B. Smith, and a touching
prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Gist, who at the close of the sermon also
spoke in commendation of the departed brother.  The procession headed
by the Masonic fraternity, and followed by citizens in carriages, took
its departure to the cemetery, where the remains were buried with the
solemn and impressive Masonic rites.

The life of Mr. Kildee needs little of comment; he was kind, honorable,
just and generous to a fault, and the esteem in which he was held was
evinced by the fact that his funeral is said to have been the largest
ever held in Osage.

Mr. Kildee, besides a wife and five children, two sons and three daughters
all of whom are still at home, leaves three brothers and one sister to
mourn his untimely death.

With the many friends of the bereaved family, The Press joins in sympathy
for their deep sorrow.




Copyright (c) 2002 by Marilyn O'Connor

(Note: I am not necessarily related to the subject of the obituary.)
This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives.

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