Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Smith, Nona May (Shaffer) September 14, 1912
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Patricia Currigan currigan1932@comcast.net October 10, 2022, 5:52 pm

Lake Odessa Wave-Times  September 20, 1912

MRS. RAYMOND SMITH BEGS FOR HER LIFE
In Vain Murder and Suicide Ends Divorce Suit. Buried here.

The terrible ending of the unhappy married life of Mr and Mrs Raymond Smith at 
their home in Grand Rapids last week Wednesday evening was given in detail in 
both the Grand Rapids Herald and Press, giving  at the immediate cause of the 
tragedy the suing for divorce by Mrs.Smith alleging the bitterest of cruel 
treatment, repeatedly and the threatening of her life as the cause.

We will not attempt to give out readers the account of the awful tragedy, 
leading up to his wife, as he did in the presence her friend, Mrs. McCalgin of 
Grand Ledge, grabbing her severely by the arm and firing three bullets through 
her neck and face in quick succession and then sending the fourth through his 
own brain. Both falling dead side by side. "is it possible" you exclaim " that 
any body would do such a thing." Yes it is possible. but not at all probable, 
when they are in full possession is not for us to judge.

After some delay the two bodies were brought here Friday night by Mrs. Ransom 
Hynes of West Woodland, mother of Mrs.Smith, assisted by Mr. Clarence Smith and 
were taken in charge by undertaker Wood and his assistant Walter Worthley, 
Saturday afternoon. The double funeral was held at the Congregation Church 
The funeral procession with his two hearses, two caskets and two sets of pall 
bearers creating a most unusual and impressive  spectacle indeed. In the church 
the two caskets were placed endways heads together, which marked their last 
resting place together, since at the cemetery the remains of the husband were 
buried in the family lot by the side of those of his mother while those of the 
wife were buried across the cemetery in the family lot of her father and a host 
of sorrowing relatives and friends. Besides her mother Mrs Smith left a brother 
Winifred Shaffer and wife of Battle Creek who here to attend the funeral, and 
Mr. Smith leaves besides his father, a brother Orrie Smith who is employed  as a 
bartender in Grand Rapids where Raymond Smith had been immediately before going 
to shoot his wife. At the saloon he was in company with Chas. Reese formerly of 
Lake Odessa also, Judge Perkins had issued an injunction, barring Smith from his 
home because of the alleged threats, but all to no avail. He went from bad to 
worse.
Both of Mr. and Mrs. Smith are well represented here as pleasant, industrial 
young people; everybody knowing them as Ray and Nene the moved from here to 
Grand Rapids about eight or ten years ago. They were married Oct. 14, 1899.
He was employed here mostly as a painter and paper hanger. Her father Will  
Shaffer was a former blacksmith here.

Additional Comments:
Lakeside Cem.#3-372 Nona age 30
Lakeside Cem.#6-721 Ray  age 38

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