Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Backus, Mary January 14, 1902
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Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net June 10, 2010, 9:19 pm

The Lake Odessa Wave, Thursday, January 16, 1902
Mrs. Mary Backus, whose maiden name was Mary Snoke, was born in Warsaw, 
Indiana, September 28, 1849, and died at her home near Lake Odessa, Michigan, 
January 14, 1902, being at the time of her death 53 years, 3 months and 17 
days.  She was married in Indiana on the 23rd of December, 1868 to Henry 
Shriner and with him and their only child, Nellie, came to Michigan in 1880, 
settling first near Bangor and then moving shortly afterward to Vermontville, 
finally coming to Odessa fourteen years ago.  Here Mr. Shriner died, and here 
in November 1892 she was married to Mr. Suel Backus.  

Mrs. Backus had been ailing for about a year, and for the past six months has 
been confined to the house.  She was a great sufferer, bearing it all 
patiently, until “Fond nature ceased its strife and let her languish into 
life.”  She frequently expressed a readiness to go.  Except for the sundering 
of home ties, death to her was not a terrible foe, but rather a kindly 
messenger, who came to set her free from bodily suffering and translate her 
spirit to the land where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no death, and where 
God shall wipe away all tears from her eyes.

She joined the Methodist Episcopal Church while living near Vermontville, and 
was transferred here by letter in 1888, during the pastorate of Rev. L. M. 
Garlick. The testimony of those who knew her is that she was good woman.  She 
lived and died in the triumphs of Christian faith.  

Besides her husband, who is “Only waiting till the shadows are a little longer 
grown,” in the meantime gratefully cherishing the memory of a faithful and 
affectionate companion, she leaves one daughter, Nellie (Mrs. Harvey Kart) and 
three stepchildren—Mrs. Arthur Godfrey, Mrs. Archie VanHouten and Marcene 
Backus, to mourn their loss.

The funeral was held at the Methodist church this morning, conducted by the 
pastor, and the remains were laid to rest in Lakeside cemetery.



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