Obituary: Winnebago County, Wisconsin: Hattie RUSSELL ************************************************************************ Submitted by Kathy Grace, November 2004 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ Winneconne Local May 18, 1916 p.1 Mrs. C.A. Russell At Rest "Mrs. Russell is dead!" It has been a long time since Winneconne people were so alarmed at the sudden demise of one of their friends. And it is hard for a fried of a real friend to take such news with less than a sympathetic tear. It does not fall to the lot over every person to have a natural developed nature of supreme cleanliness is next to Godliness and do unto others as you would have them do to you, and live up to the motto with the spirit of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. Whether the person was a child or a grown person, with or without faculty of appreciation, Mrs. Russell made no distinction. When her work of goodness was completed in once channel or several channels she had no faculty of remembering very accurately what she had accomplished and if her autobiography had been written previous to the time when cold earth claimed her to death, the wording would have been rather strange to her-- so forgetful she was of her one hand not knowing what the other was accomplishing- the vast number of good seeds sown, good deeds done. Those deeds permeated to all those with whom she had experience. She was a teacher, a missionary in the art and did not know it- she never was impressed that she had such a wonderful and unusual nature. But all her friends, meaning all her acquaintances, realized the extent of her natural development in doing good deeds for people in need, or worthy moves toward charities or ordinary favors, and her memory will not have to receive a monument from mother earth to preserve her grand nature. The lesson of her life has reached the hearts of all those who knew her, all those who never will be able to forget her nature; people who know more than a mere obituary in a newspaper can give; people who know what cold type cannot tell, because it is such as cannot be expressed in words- because words never can take the place of deeds. During the past two years Mrs. Russell had been troubled with stomach disorders. At times she would pay some little attention to her affliction and then continue her work. During the spring she took great pride in her garden. Last Thursday afternoon she and her husband were in the garden until five o'clock when Mrs. Russell complained of a pain. They went into the house. At first she expected the pain would be of short duration and she would return to the garden. From minute to minute the pain increased. Dr. Hughes was sent for, but he was not able to administer anything to relieve the woman's suffering. It was decided to hold a consultation with Dr. C.J. Combs of Oshkosh, which resulted in taking the lady to the Lakeside hospital, Oshkosh, where the physicians discovered the patient was suffering with ulcers of the stomach which had eaten through the linings of that organ. By this time the dear woman's life was slowly but surely sinking fast. However, every effort was made to save her life, but all to no avail. A life that had been so dear to every one who knew her for the good deeds of her life, was ebbing away; her earthly work was being turned into a Heavenly hymn; the angel of death was present, because Mrs. Russell's life work had all been spent. Her demise was to be, as many followers of the good book, sudden and sorrowful for earthly survivors, not sweet and everlasting for the cheerful doer- for the cheerful giver- a woman who proved a shining earthly light is now a light in "Life's Great Divide" since nine o'clock Friday morning. This woman was full of good works Acts 9:36 was the appropriate text for the address of Rev. Thomas W. Gales at the funeral of Mrs. C.A. Russell on Monday afternoon. The large crowd that had gathered filled the house, the porch and lawn, and this with the mass of beautiful flowers, that formed a background for the rich casket, expressed the affectionate regard in which Mrs. Russell was held by her friends and neighbors. Mrs. Gales paid a high tribute to her character and public spirit: "Was it to bake 'for a supper, for a church or society, she was always generous. When called upon to help any in trouble or need, rich or poor called not in vain. She loved and was loved not only by neighbors, but her bird, dog and other pets. Her beautiful house plants told of her affection for them. It was very fitting that the last day of her active life be spent in the garden with her husband setting out dahlias. She was a true friend, a faithful wife and a good woman. And God richly blessed her life by making her a blessing to many others". Misses Ruth Weeks and Marion Clow sang beautiful selections accompanied by Mrs. Arthur Bersch. After the service the procession of fifteen cars went to Omro cemetery where interment took place. Those acting as pallbearers were: John Schneider, Otto Ansorge, Elmer Lee, George Mader Jr. G.E. King and H.C. Riley. Hattie A. Neubert was born in the Town of Oshkosh, July 25, 1858, has lived in this county ever since. She was married Nov. 24, 1881 to C.A. Russell and the young couple settled in Winneconne where they have lived a happy and useful life. Mr. C.A. Russell is president of the Union Bank of Winneconne and one of our most highly respected business men. He has the sympathy of the whole community in his bereavement. Her only sister Mrs. Clara Waite of LaCrosse died a few weeks ago. Two brothers Auldin and Millard, and her foster daughters Ada (Mrs. Warren Teela) of Winneconne and Edna of LaCrosse survive her. Following are those from out of town who attended the funeral of Mrs. Russell: Mr. and Mrs. Auldin Neubert and daughter Beatrice of Appleton, Mr. and Mrs. Millard Neubert, daughter Viola and son Frank of Eureka, Frank Leonard of LaCrosse, Chester Prock of Oshkosh, Mr. and Mrs. F.G. Roots, daughter Stella and son Frank of Omro, Mrs. Amy Russell and Miss Madge Russell of Omro, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Huecker, Mr. C. W. Krier of LacRosse; Mrs. Geo. Dix of Fond du Lac, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Lawson, Mrs. Arthur Ramsdell, Wm. Martin, Mrs. M.E. Penniman, Mr. and Mrs. F.H. Hull, C. F. Yeoman, and Dr. Noeise of Oshkosh, Miss Edith Hyde of Menasha, Mrs. Francis Foote of Hortonville, Henry Carley of Eureka, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Thomas and Mrs. C. Goss of Omro.