Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Beals, Clinton November 16, 1898 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com November 16, 2013, 8:46 am Ionia Daily Standard - Mon. Nov. 21, 1898 Impressive Burial Services For the Respected Young Man; The funeral for Clinton Beals, on Sunday afternoon was very largely attended, and the services were impressive and pathetic throughout. Amid the wailing of funeral marches, the tears of sorrow, and the flowers of affection they buried him. They left him in the kindly arms of nature - to the sunlight and the breezes to mother Earth herself. The funeral procession from the home to the Presbyterian church, and again from the church to his long rest in Highland Park cemetery was indeed a marked testimonial of the affection in which deceased was held. In the lead was the Ionia City band, of which the young man was an active and devoted member - the band marching with the place vacant usually filled by him; following came a line of hundred D.G.R. & W. shopmen and railroad employees; then the hearse bearing the precious remains, attended as bearers by four associate workmen in the shops, apprentices with Clinton: Luke McGowan, Edward Nye, Clarence Parr and Eugene Kerstetter; and lastly, in carriages, the bereaved parents, sisters, relatives, and mourning friends. Upon arriving at the church a vast number of sympathizing friends were gathered - many more than could gain entrance after those in the line of march were seated. Deceased was a member of the Presbyterian church, and the service was conducted by Rev. Dr. Oxtoby, the pastor, having the assistance of Rev. Ed. M. Jeffers of the Baptist church, of which the stricken betrothed is a member. The music was tenderly superb, by the Presbyterian quartette choir, Mrs. Brock, Miss Tompkins, Messrs. Wilson and Baker. In his remarks, Rev. Mr. Jeffers directed his thoughts more particularly to the young men. Rev. Oxtoby found the text for his discourse in Romans VIII, and made a strong appeal to the men to take on a more intimate relationship with Christian citizenship and church life. There were in attendance from out of town; Mr. and Mrs. J. Stites, Daisy Crawford, and Walter Miner, of Grand Rapids, J.A. Felker and wife of Toledo, O.; Mrs. A. Beals and son and Miss Elizabeth-Felker, of Ft. Wayne, Ind.' Mrs. S.S. Nonamaker of Chicago; W. K. Christie of Muskegon; Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Ruel of Pewamo; Miss Mabel Amsden of Corunna; Alfred Stoddard of Detroit; James Vizard of Big Rapids. Clinton Beals was born in Mercer County, Ohio, in July, '75, and was therefore 23 years and 4 months of age. He came to Ionia with his parents when but six years old, since which time he has resided here continuously. All his schooling was in the Ionia schools, where he attained the grade of junior, some three years ago, when he left school to become an apprentice in the machine shop of the D., G. R. & W., which apprenticeship he was soon to complete and enter upon the more exalted duties of a handcraftsman, for which he had marked intuitive ability and knowledge. He was a young man of correct thoughts and correct habits. Why this life was so soon and so suddenly abridged is one of the great mysteries of death. It is not given to us to explain why this career, so well endowed by nature and so full of promise, should be thus early terminated. But he is gone. For those who remain, the star of the future which shines in the horizon is Hope. We leave the dear boy in his dreamless sleep; Sleep till the shadows take Their endless flight; Until the morning break- Good night! Good night! Additional Comments: Highland Park Cemetery #11-79 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/b/beals22947nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb