Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Rich, Almeda W. October 1911
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Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net May 9, 2010, 8:28 pm

The Belding Banner, Thursday, October 5, 1911
Headlines:  Another Pioneer is Gone.  Mrs. Almeda W. Rich Settled in Otisco in 
1854 With Her Husband.  Cleared up Fine Farm.  Lives There for Fifty-Seven 
Years—Held in High Esteem by all Who Knew Her.

Death has taken another of the pioneers of this part of Ionia County, 
reminding the living that soon the early toilers and builders of the homes and 
those who laid the foundations of progress will soon be gone.

The funeral service was held Tuesday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. L. A. 
Rowley in this city. Rev. G. W. Maxwell officiated and read the following 
concerning her life:  Almeda Wearn Rich was born in York State June 26, 1835 
and died at the home of her daughter in Belding, September 30, 1911.  At nine 
years of age she came with her parents to Plymouth, Mich., where she lived ten 
years, when she was married to Mr. C. Belden Rich and they came at once to 
Ionia County and settled on a farm in Otisco.  They cleared up the farm 
together, making a beautiful home, and this home of love, which was more to 
her than any other earthly place, she enjoyed for fifty-seven years.  This was 
where she was Queen, and for which her life was given.  Like all others who 
are held in high esteem she was loved by her neighbors because she loved 
them.  She thus worked her way into every heart and every home and she will be 
missed like we miss a close relative.

Mrs. Rich was not without the burden of sorrow, whose ministration it is to 
ripen and bind the heart into closer companionship.  Her first great sorrow 
was the death of her second son, George, who at the age of twenty-three years 
was drowned in the West.  This was a blow to the fond parents which time could 
scarcely heal.  Then thirteen years ago the death of her life companion, threw 
heavy responsibility upon her, and the home which had given her so much 
pleasure was broken forever on earth; but she has braved the tide well and 
continued cheerful even after so much that she had loved had been taken away, 
but the heavy burdens unseen by mortal eye with the advance of years began to 
tell on her and March 24 she was attacked with pneumonia which was followed by 
a run of fever from which she could not recover, and after months of suffering 
was released by the gentle hand of death.

Five children were born to the home of whom four are still living, Charles A. 
of Otisco, Walter E. of Ionia, Mrs. Edith A. Rowley of Belding and Mrs. Martha 
J. Pratt of Saranac.  These besides the grand-children and other relatives 
with a host of friends are in mourning over her departure.  A good mother a 
loving wife and a friendly neighbor who ingratiated herself in many hearts, 
and they have now the sympathy of the entire community.


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