Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Lawrence, Sarah J. January 12, 1907
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Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net June 21, 2010, 6:33 pm

The Lake Odessa Wave, Friday, January 18, 1907
Not in a long time has the death bell rung out a life that has saddened the 
fireside, church, and society as much as when Mrs. Sarah Lawrence yielded up 
her life to the One who gave it.  Saturday evening when all her friends were 
pleased with the report that she was recovering, heart failure suddenly set in 
and lo, the life that had been so useful and the light that had penetrated 
other lives went suddenly out and left an empty void explainable only when all 
mysteries shall be solved.

Sarah J. Wolverton was born in Wolverton Plains, Montcalm county, Michigan 
August 22, 1853 and died at her home in Lake Odessa January 12, 1907.  When a 
child she moved with her parents to Orange township and resided there until 
she came to Lake Odessa in 1901.  In 1873 she was married to Emerson Benedict 
and to this union three children were born: John C. Benedict of Lansing, Mrs. 
Ida M. Ellison of Saranac and Fred K. Benedict of Lansing.

In 1896 she was married to Cyrus R. Lawrence, a well to do farmer of Sebewa 
and a widower with a young son Howard then six years old.  This union has been 
an exceptionally happy one forming a model home and the young son Howard has 
found in the deceased a most gentle and loving mother and in turn he has 
proven a most appreciative and dutiful son.  Besides the above mentioned 
husband and children left is an aged mother whom she helped to nurse in a 
recent severe attack of paralysis, a brother Elmer Wolverton and a sister Mrs. 
George Benedict all of Orange.

Mrs. Lawrence received her high school education at Ionia and later attended 
Alma College.  She began teaching when exceptionally young, teaching several 
years in the home district and one year in the Ionia City schools.  She as a 
woman of rare ability and strove ever to improve unassumingly the talents God 
gave her.  She was converted when a child and lived a devoted life believing 
that the Christ life meant a life of prayer and just before her departure she 
was heard repeating the Twenty-Third Psalm and repeating the name of Jesus 
softly in prayer.

When Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence and Howard came to Lake Odessa they united with the 
Methodist church to which she proved a faithful member being when she died 
teacher of the Bible class and president of the F.M. society, an active member 
of the W.C.T.U.

Socially Mrs. Lawrence was a leader, as president of the Woman’s Club and an 
active worker in the Farmer’s Club, a member of Ionia Macabees, she will be 
missed as few others would be.  Although admired by all, those who knew her 
best loved her most and friends far and near feel the great loss.

The funeral was a private one held at the home Monday afternoon, Rev. J. C. 
Cook her pastor officiating.  Her remains were carried by her husband, brother 
and four sons to the hearse and grave, while Mrs. M. Crane, Mrs. Carrie 
Mather, Mrs. W. J. Percival, Mrs. R. C. Blair, Mrs. G. H. Cheetham and Mrs. A. 
J. Dann acted as honorary pall bearers.  The remains were placed to rest in 
Lakeside cemetery.


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