Mrs. Catherine Stewart, who was well known in Coldwater, died quite suddenly at 1 o'clock a.m. on last Friday, March 13, 1925, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. E. Clark, in Eureka, Kans., with which she had made her home. She had not been in the best of health for a year or more, but for some time, even up to Thursday afternoon, she had been feeling unusually well. On that evening, however, she suffered a stoke of paralysis, which affected her right side. The fatal stroke came, as stated, at 1 o'clock Friday morning. She was conscious up to within a few minutes before her death, and her passing away was as if passing into a quiet sleep.Mrs. Stewart made her home in this city for a number of years, and while here she won a host of good friends. She was untiring in her efforts to cheer and to help in any way possible those about her. Her loyalty to her family and to the church of her choice, and her unfailing kindness and thoughtfulness for the welfare of others were proofs of the fine christian spirit which she possessed. She knew pioneer life in Kansas, and she contributed her part toward helping to make the state what it is today.
Funeral services were conducted from the M. E. church in Eureka at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday and were in charge of the pastor. An unusually large number attended. Their presence and the profusion of flowers attested to the high esteem in which the deceased was held. Burial was made in the Eureka cemetery. Her five sons and her grandson, Scott Stewart, acted as pall bearers.
The following obituary was read by her pastor at the funeral:
Catherine P. Smyth was born on October 3, 1851, in Old Westport, Mo. The family came to what is now Quincy, in Greenwood-co., Kans., in 1859, and there she grew to womanhood. She was married to J. Scott Stewart on April 4, 1872. They located in Eureka in November, 1876, where, with the exception of a few years spent at different times with one or another of her children in other places, she had since made her home. Her husband passed away in 1895, so that she had been a widow for almost 30 years.
Mrs. Stewart was from girlhood a member of the United Brethren church, but after her marriage she joined with her husband as a member of the Methodist church, and both were very faithful workers in the church, through the years. During her later life, and even during the past year of constant ill health, Mrs. Stewart kept as her chief interest the progress of the church.
She was the mother of five children, all of whom survive her. They are: C. H. Stewart, Buffalo, Kans.; John D. Stewart, St. John, Kans.; Geo. R. and Walter S. Stewart, Coldwater, Kans., and Mrs. J. E. Clark, Eureka, Kans., with whom she made her home in later years. Besides these, she leaves 12 grandchildren, one great grandchild, and a brother, James M. Smyth, of Eureka.
After a year of illness, much of the time in great pain, she passed away very suddenly and peacefully early Friday morning, March 13, 1925, aged 73 years 5 months and 10 days.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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