The sudden death of Mrs. J. T. Smith is the saddest news that has come to out community recently. The news of her death was quietly and quickly told from friend to friend and neighbor to neighbor early Saturday morning. She had died at 5:30 that morning. While it is well known that she had been suffering from a rheumatic fever for several days and had been in a critical condition from it at times, it was thought that she had so far recovered as to be out of any immediate danger of death from her ailment.Stella Myrtle Testerman was born in Hancock county, Tennessee on January 17, 1887; departed this life at her home on Comanche county, Kansas at 5:30 a.m. on March 31st, 1917, at the age of thirty years, two months and fourteen days. Practically all of her life was spent with her parents at their home in Hancock county. She was converted and united with the Baptist church at the age of fourteen years and has lived a consistent and exemplary Christian life. She taught school for a number of years, having taught one year in Wilmore. She possessed ability and efficiency in this vocation, and always revealed the christian spirit in the school room, using the sixteenth chapter of Ecclesiastics and the nineteenth and twenty third Psalm.
She was married to J. T. Smith at her home in Kyles Ford, Tennessee, on January 4, 1917. It seems so soon the consummation of the "Until Death Do Us Part" of the marriage vow was fulfilled. God in his love and wisdom knoweth best.
She leaves besides her husband, her father, mother, three brothers and four sisters and a host of friends both at her former home and at Wilmore to mourn their loss. The sisters are Ada C. Live of Moonsburg, Tennessee, Lillie Alder, Windom, Texas, Mary Burchett, Big Stone Gap, Virginia, and Minnie Weston, Kyles Ford, Tennessee. The brothers are Robert T. Testerman, Kyles Ford, Tennessee, John T. Testerman of Wilmore, Kansas, and Homer Testerman, Kyles Ford, Tennessee.
The funeral was conducted from the Wilmore Baptist church the pastor, J. Bert Smith preaching the funeral sermon. Interment was in the Wilmore Cemetery.
To him who was tried in all points as we are and knows how to support us in our trials, we commend our bereaved friends.
The Western Star, April 6, 1917. Mrs. Jay Smith
The people of Wilmore and vicinity were shocked on last Friday morning to learn of the death during the previous night of Mrs. Jay Smith at the Smith home near that city. She had been a sufferer for over three weeks from inflammatory rheumatism, but was thought on Thursday to be much better. Hence the fatal attack Thursday night was a surprise to all.
Deceased before her marriage last December to Jay Smith was Miss Stella Testerman. She had lived in Wilmore, but her home was in Tennessee. She was a sister of J. T. Testerman of Wilmore. During her stay in that city she had won a host of friends. Her untimely death caused a keen sense of sadness to pervade the entire community.
Funeral services were conducted from the Baptist church in Wilmore on Wednesday afternoon of this week, the pastor Rev. J. Bert Smith being in charge. The sincere sympathy of all goes out to the bereaved husband in this hour of his sad bereavement.
Jay Thomas Smith, husband of Stella Testerman.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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