Ethel May Cox was born August 13, 1888, in Phillips county, Kansas. At an early age she removed with her parents to Braymer, Mo., where she grew to young womanhood. In 1905, the family moved to Pawnee county, Kansas, where on September 4, 1907, she was united in marriage with Leroy R. Smith. The young couple located upon a farm near Rozell, Pawnee county, but in the fall of 1908 moved to Comanche county, settling upon a farm east of Protection.In December 1914 she was taken sick with pleuritic pneumonia. The family left the farm moving to Protection and as Mrs. Smith continued to grow worse in May, 1915, she and Mr. Smith went by auto to Las Vegas, New Mexico, where she spent the summer of 1915.
Later she went to Tucumcari, New Mexico spending there the winter of 1915 and 1916, returning home in the early spring of this year, seemingly much improved in health. The pneumonia with which her failing health first started rapidly developed in a pulmonary and pharyngeal tubercular trouble, the ravages of which could not be stopped. Mrs. Smith was bedfast for many weeks and departed this life June 20, 1916, aged 27 years, 8 months and 7 days. Mrs. Smith had been converted and baptized into the New Testament Church of Christ at the early age of thirteen years. Death to her held no terrors and firm in her Christian faith the grave was a haven of rest from affliction, pain and sorrow.
Two children preceded Mrs. Smith into the great beyond and she leaves to mourn the loss of mother, one little five year old daughter, Martha Evelyn, of wife, her husband, and father, step-mother and six brothers and other immediate relatives.
The funeral read by Rev. G. M. Martin was held from the Baptist church Wednesday, June 21st, and interment was made in the local Protection cemetery.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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