Pioneer Lady Gone

Mrs. Phil Gossard, who has resided at the Soldiers’ Home at Burkett since the death of her husband, passed away last Sunday and the body was brought to Blair Monday for burial.

Deceased, with her husband, was one of our early settlers and reared her family in our county, living a life above reproach and holding the highest esteem of all those who knew her.

The funeral services were held at the M.E. church at 2 p.m. and interment made in the Blair Cemetery where the body was followed to its last resting place by a host of friends and relatives.

Enterprise 11 Oct 1923

Word was received here Monday telling of the death of Mrs. Phil Gossard at the Old Soldiers Home at Grand Island. Mr. Gossard passed away there several years ago and Mrs. Gossard had continued to make her home there. The body was brought to Blair Monday where funeral services will be held at 2 o’clock. A son, Jeff Gossard of Bloomfield was present and accompanied the remains to Blair. Another son, Clete, of Saskatchewan, Canada, is expected here for the services.

Tribune 18 Oct 1923

Obituary of Mrs. Mary Leeper Gossard

Mrs. Phillip Gossard, whose body was brought here from Grand Island and buried in the family lot, was well-known throughout Washington County, having been a resident of this part of Nebraska since 1871.

Mary Katherine Leeper was born in Hayworth, Washington County, Illinois, on October 7, 1839, and departed this life at the Soldier’s Home at Burkett, October 6, 1923, lacking but a single day of being 84 years of age.

She was married to Phillip Gossard in the place where she was born on January 19, 1855, and was the mother of twelve children, ten of whom survive their mother. She was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church up to the time of coming to Nebraska, when she united with the Free Methodist Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Gossard lived on Bell Creek from 1871 until they moved to Blair, and in 1916 went to Burkett to make their home and where her husband preceded her in death five years ago. They were subjects to many of the hardships incident to pioneer life, but also enjoyed many temporal and spiritual blessings.

The funeral was largely attended by many who knew and highly esteemed her in life.