OBITUARY: John Fred Starley, 14 Oct 1889 - Smith County, TX Submitted by Vicki Betts 7 December 2002 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ***************************************************************** TEXAS CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE, November 14, 1889, p. 7, c. 5 STARLEY.—John Fred Starley was born February 11, 1874, and died October 14, 1889. Born and brought up of noble parentage, he inherited all those sterling qualities that belong to strength of character, and was blessed with that cultivation which rapidly develops those powers of mind and heart essential in the completion of every life. He was studious, thoughtful, earnest. Life to him was real. He realized at an early age that its issues were not to be trifled with, its claims were not to be ignored, and those who would succeed were those who must work steadily, persistently, cheerfully work. With such fundamental views of life's claims, his parents, his friends, indeed all who knew him best, fondly looked forward to the time when Fred should stand in the foremost ranks and do valuable service in any department where he might be called upon to labor. From the human standpoint in all this we are disappointed, but not so from the divine standpoint. In the broader, grander field of that eternity into which he has entered such qualities of the heart and soul, such longings of the immortal mind must find ample opportunity and ample room for cultivation and development. His sickness must find ample opportunity and ample room for cultivation and development. His sickness was long and severe. His sufferings were sufficient to call forth the deepest sympathies of any heart. But his powers of endurance, his patience, his fortitude were far beyond many of those of riper years. I visited him a number of times during his illness and always found him cheerful and hopeful. He was devoted to the Sunday-school and was especially fond of the sermon. In early childhood he learned to pray, nor did he forget his religious obligations as he was approaching young manhood. His love and reverence for his father, his love and devotion for his mother, together with his loving, generous disposition toward all the members of the household are best understood when we say that his chief delight was to give each all the pleasure possible. All the medical skill and tender, loving hands and hearts could do was done to save him, but just as he was about to enter the great thoroughfare of life, sickness came, death came and he passed beyond "the swelling flood to fields of living green." His sun went down while as yet he was rising. But we shall see him again. And when we do it will be where "sickness and sorrow, pain and death, are feared and felt no more." "You cannot return to us but we can to go to you." May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of god and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with the bereaved home. Amen. D. F. C. TIMMONS. TYLER, TEXAS.