Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Jeffery, Mary B. 1927
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Marilyn Ransom mransom311@gmail.com August 29, 2014, 7:56 pm

The Belding Banner, Wednesday, February 23, 1927


The body of Mrs. Mary B. Jeffery, aged 72 years, who died at the soldier’s home 
hospital, on Saturday morning, was brought to this city that afternoon by 
Undertaker Arthur Fitzjohn, who went to Grand Rapids to get it and it was taken 
to the Fitzjohn funeral home where it was prepared for burial and held for the 
funeral services which were held on Monday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock.

Mrs. Jeffery came to this city about five or six years ago.  She came here to 
act as housekeeper for James Ovenhouse, an old Civil war veteran, whose health 
had been poor for a long time and who needed and wanted some one to care for 
him.  Mrs. Jeffery cared for Mr. Ovenhouse tenderly and well for some time and 
up until he died and as a reward for her services he gave her a life lease on 
the property which is situated at the corner of Charles and E. Division 
streets, where she continued to make her home until June, 1926, at which time 
she was taken to Grand Rapids and became an inmate of the women’s annex to the 
Michigan Soldiers’ home.

For several weeks after Mrs. Jeffery was taken to the home her health seemed to 
be somewhat better, but after a time her health began to slip and she had been 
an inmate in the hospital for some months past.  Her sickness was augmented by 
a strong dislike for the institution, terrible homesickness, and a yearning to 
get back to her home in this city, a matter of which her physical condition 
would not permit.  Local friends of the woman went to see her often while she 
was in Grand Rapids and it cheered her a great deal to have these people come 
to visit her.

Several weeks ago her condition became serious again and physicians at the 
hospital stated that she would not be able to hold out a great deal longer.  In 
spite of her weakened condition, she wanted to make the trip to Belding again 
and either get settled in her own home or stay with her friends here.  Her 
pleadings were pitiful, but on the advice of physicians, who said she would 
undoubtedly die on the road, her request to come home was refused.

Saturday morning she passed away and in accordance with a promise exacted from 
the writer hereof, her remains were brought back here and the funeral was held 
on Monday afternoon from the Fitzjohn funeral home.  Although there was not a 
relative present, friends from the neighborhood and the Daughters of Veterans 
were in attendance and the funeral showed that the spirit of Christianity and 
brotherhood is alive to no small extent in the hearts of the people of this 
city.  Rev. H. E. Curch officiated at the funeral services.  Mrs. Myrtle Rosch 
sang and Miss Joy Curch played the piano, with Mrs. Tine Moon and others of the 
Daughters of Veterans using their ritual as a part of the services.

The body was placed in the mausoleum at River Ridge cemetery, later to be 
interred in a grave there.



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