Grundy County IL Archives Obituaries.....Comerford, Catherine Smith 1903
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com October 22, 2006, 11:43 pm

Phoenix Advertiser Minooka News, Aug 6, 1903
Comerford, Mrs Catherine - Death Calls a Pioneer, Mrs. Catherine Comerford 
Passes Away at Her Home in This Place. Mrs. Catherine Comerford, widow of the 
late George Comerford, mother of N. J. and Thomas Comerford, and one of the 
pioneers and best citizens of Grundy county, received the final summons at her 
home in Minooka last Saturday morning, August 1, 1903, and with steadfast 
faith and hope passed through the mystic veil that curtains earth from 
eternity. Mrs. Comerford has been remarkably healthy throughout her life until 
about two years ago when her bodily infirmities began, but she was not 
seriously ill at any time until last Thursday morning when acute intestinal 
trouble developed and baffled medical skill to heal. The gravity of the 
disease was at once apparent and a telephone message was hastily sent to the 
son, N. J., who was at Mt. Clemens, Mich., and who arrived here Friday morning 
to be present in the last hours. The other son Thomas was also at the bed 
side, with other relatives and friends. Mrs. Comerford retained her mental 
faculties unimpaired to the last and within a few minutes of her death 
inquired after the welfare of friends, an unselfish characteristic of her life 
and nature which shone out as a virtue even in the last hours. Her illness was 
not marked by very severe pain and in the early morning hours she peacefully 
slept into death. Mrs. Comerford was born Catherine Smith in County Wexford, 
Ireland in 1824 and came with the family to this county in 1852 when they 
settled at Lockport, New York. There in 1855 she became the bride of George 
Comerford and she then came to Minooka where her husband was already located. 
Since then she had reside here continuously. The husband died here in 1891. 
Beside the two sons, N. J., who is a prominent merchant here, and Thomas, the 
well-known and well-to-do farmer, there was one daughter, Mary, who died while 
attending St. Mary's college at Notre Dame, Indiana, in 1882. The decedent was 
a sister of George T. Smith, the well-known Minooka merchant, and also of Mrs. 
F. Kinsella and Mrs. William Coulehan, of this place, and Mrs. Ellen O'Toole, 
of Tipton, Ind. Two brothers, John and William Smith, died in Lockport, N. Y., 
a few years ago. Mrs. Comerford was a fine type of true christian character of 
unfailing faith and hope in the future, of righteous living and charitable 
deeds, who taught goodness and virtue by example rather than by precept, a 
mother venerated by her children a friend, loved by those who knew her and a 
citizen esteemed by all. Truly she died full of years and honor and her life 
of simplicity, and faith is well worthy to receive the crown of glory. The 
funeral occurred Monday morning at 10:30 o'clock from St. Mary's Catholic 
church in this place. Requiem solemn high mass was celebrated by Rev. Father 
Joseph McMahon with Rev. D. Dunne of Joliet, and Rev. Thomas Walsh, of Joliet, 
as deacon and sub-deacon. The concourse assembled was the largest that ever 
gathered in Minooka and was a fitting testimony to the esteem in which the 
deceased was held. Rev. Dunne preached the funeral sermon and paid an eloquent 
tribute to the life and character and good works of the dead. The church choir 
sang and was assisted by a quartet from Joliet composed of Mrs. Anton Schager, 
Miss Lulu Maber, Anton Schager and Frank Zarley. The pall bearers were John W. 
Dwyer, John Talbott, Martin Clennon, John Carlin, J. P. McEvilly and Edward 
Brady. Little Mamie Comerford, daughter of Thomas Comerford, and Helen, 
daughter of N. J. Comerford, acted as flower bearers. The ushers were W. H. 
Kaffer and D. A. Hennebry. The interment was in Dresden cemetery a beautiful 
commitment service at the grave side being conducted by the clergy. 

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