Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Smelker, Masie L. (Davis) 1930 ************************************************ 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: Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net March 25, 2011, 11:22 am Lake Odessa Wave, 5 Jun 1930 & unknown date Lake Odessa Wave, 5 Jun 1930 & unknown date Well Known Woman Fought Dire Disease Mrs. Frank Smelker Passes Wednesday Forenoon. Well Known in Freeport and Lake Odessa. For several years Mrs. Maisie Smelker has fought one of those incurable diseases so much investigated by physicians for a remedy. She has been so cheerful and hopeful and even after a severe attack of pneumonia of last winter hoped for a complete recovery. She was widely known here in Lake Odessa as she assisted in their drug store as long as health permitted. Her early life was spent in Freeport where she has many friends. Everything possible has been done for her recovery but disease conquered and she passed away Wednesday morning. The funeral will be held at the Methodist church Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock. ---- Large Attendance Smelker Funeral Sermon by Pastor, Singing by Mrs. Mattie Everhart, Freeport. Burial at Lakeside. The funeral of Mrs. Frank Smelker was held at Central Methodist church, of which she was a member, last Friday afternoon. The church was filled with friends and the deceased lay surrounded by beautiful flowers. The sermon was by the pastor Rev. O. F. Bulman and three beautiful songs were sung by Mrs. Mattie Everhart, a schoolmate and life-long friend of both Mr. and Mrs. Smelker. The pall bearers were Forrest Branch, George Kart, Dr. M. J. Henderson, Charles Moe, Charles Huntzinger and Fred Bulling. Burial was at Lakeside. The business places were closed during the time of the funeral out of respect for the sorrow and loss of a fellow businessman. The mantle of grief fell over Lake Odessa on Wednesday morning when it was announced that Mrs. Frank Smelker had passed away; for while it was known to her friends that she was critically ill, no one anticipated that the end would come so quickly. Mazie L. Smelker, whose maiden name was Davis, was born in Mansfield, O., on March 24, 1880. When she was three years old she came with her mother to Michigan. They settled at Freeport, and in Freeport schools she received her education. She was married on the first day of March in the year of 1899 to Frank Smelker. They lived in Freeport until 1904 when they moved to Lake Odessa which has since been their home. Mrs. Smelker is survived by her loving mother Mrs. Samantha Peckham and devoted husband, a number of other relatives and a wide circle of friends. She has been prominent in the business and social circles of the community. By her gracious manner she won the esteem of all and the love of all who knew her well. She was possessed of an indomitable spirit and put up a long, brave fight against the malady which afflicted her. Everything that medical skill and loving care could do, was done for her, but it was impossible to effect a cure, and on Wednesday morning, which happened to be the twenty-sixth anniversary of the death of her stepfather Dr. H. F. Peckham, she passed peacefully away. Mrs. Smelker was a most unselfish character, always thinking more of the comforts and pleasures of others than of her own. She was ever ready to enter into the personal and social experiences of her friends, saying and doing the kind and loving things. Her memory will be treasured by those who had the privilege of knowing her. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/s/smelker11008nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.9 Kb