Printed in the Oct. 17, 1895 Republican, Blair, Nebraska

Obituary

On Oct. 11, 1895, Mrs. Bertha M. Smith, wife of David E. Smith, died of diphtheria after the most intense suffering for eight days. She leaves a good husband and four children to mourn her loss. The babe is eighteen months old. Gust. Paulson, her oldest brother, came a few hours before she passed away. She leaves an aged mother, three brothers, and three sisters, and many friends, for she was loved by all who knew her. The morning before she died, she asked to see her little Bess, and after taking the babe and caressing her for the last time on earth, she said, “here Grandma, I give you my darling little Bess,” and as the aged Grandma took the dear little one she felt it was a great charge in her declining years, yet she felt it was a dying mother’s gift, and she took the little darling and will try to take care of her and the three little boys as long as she can keep them , for that was their mother’s request.

Card of Thanks (part of the original news article)

We wish to thank those who were so kind to us in our sad and lonely afflictions. Although we were quarantined, Mr. George Smith and wife, Mrs. G.G. Lundt and others did all they could to comfort us and we wish to thank all.

David E. Smith and Mother

#2 7 Oct., 1895 - The Pilot - Mrs. Dave Smith

Mrs. Dave Smith died last Friday night at nine o'clock at her home just west of Blair of congestion of the lungs, and was buried Sunday. Mrs. Smith leaves a husband and four children to mourn her loss.

~~~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska library.~~~~

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