Prince Edward County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Fretwell, J.W. April 21, 1910
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Sally Edwards emh2106@email.vccs.edu May 5, 2010, 3:53 pm

The Farmville Herald, April 30, 2010
Reprinted from The Farmville Herald, April 29, 1910
Gleaned and Edited by Robert G. Flippen

Death of a Faithful Officer
J.W. Fretwell Dies Suddenly.
Valuable Officer Sick at Westover One Week When Overtaken by Death.

Mr. JW Fretwell a valuable member of the police force of Farmville was taken 
suddenly ill while on duty Tuesday night of last week and was carried at once 
to a room in the hotel Westover, where he died at 3 a.m. of last Tuesday the 
21st.

The body was removed to the residence of Mr. W.J. Hillsman, where it remained 
until Wednesday morning when it was taken to the Johns' famiy burying ground 
in Amelia, the old home of Mrs. Fretwell, (nee Miss Johns), for burial.  Rev. 
W.T. Blanton, Chief of Police Leslie Fogus, associates on the force, E.D. 
Lipscomb, J.N. Meadow, electrician H.K. Bullock, and T.A. Sims.

A large concourse of friends from town and the country gathered at the grave 
and nature mingled its tears with theirs.  From the moment of the attack the 
deceased was known to be seriously ill, and it was never thought prudent to 
remove him to his home, but though in a hotel there was no lack of home 
comfort, nor skill, nor loving care.
 
Pneumonia developed , but was soon under control, when heart complication came 
and that was the immediate cause of death.  A strong man has fallen out of the 
ranks of the living.  Farmville loses an efficient and faithful guardian of 
the peace, the community a good citizen, and the family a loyal, loving 
husband, fond and affectionate.

His popularity with his large circle of friends was due to his abounding good 
cheer and broad charity.

He leaves sadly to mourn and miss him, an aged mother (who has stood by the 
open graves of a husband and nine children), three sisters, a widow, and seven 
young children, six of whom are girls.  To these sorrowing ones the warmest, 
tenderest sympathies of all who knew, honored and loved him, go out in 
fullest, freest flow.  For their comfort we repeat what the angel-nurse who 
watched and ministered at his bedside until the struggle ended, said: "He died 
with a prayer trembling upon his lips and such a prayer as could come only 
from a repenting and trusting heart."  Let them hope then that their loved 
one "entered heaven with prayer".  

From the moment of the attack this strong man was impressed with the fact that 
it meant death, as as strength failed, he was heard to say:  "on this spot, 
though not under the same roof, my predecessor, Emmet Ligon, died suddenly, 
and I am soon to follow him, and then added, "he had ordered a new uniform 
which he never wore and I too have ordered one which will be worn by another."

Peace to his ashes...

What's the lesson?  "Be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not the 
Son of Man cometh."  Are you ready for the judgement (sic) Day?

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/princeedward/obits/f/fretwell235gob.txt

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