Obituary Record

Mabel E Gaines
Died on 6/30/1911
Buried in Kennard Cemetery

Kennard Enterprise 7 July 1911

Miss Mabel Gaines Called to Her Home Beyond

The funeral services over the remains of Miss Mabel G. Gaines last Sunday were attended by what was probably the most general gathering of Washington county people that ever attended a similar service.

Miss Gaines, who by her twelve years of service at the county court house, had so endeared herself to the people of the county and enlarged her circle of acquaintances until there was neither a nook or corner where her name was not a household word.

As was generally, known the last few years of her life were those of an invalid and gained for her a large sympathy wherever she was known. She however managed to keep up and labor intermittently in several of the offices at Blair until a few weeks ago when she was compelled to take to her bed at the home of Mrs. Wainwright where she had made her home for the past nine years.

The end came on the evening of June 30th, 1911, when the relatives all gathered round the bedside, and as the last flickering spark of life passed out to shine no more in the scenes of earths darkness and ? but to lose itself in that great light of all lights which shineth forever, there was the profound feeling that rest had come to a weary soul, that the one who had long looked for a door of escape from earths ills and pain had found one whose opening led to a broad and long plane.

The funeral services were held at the Methodist Episcopal Church at Blair on Sunday morning where the Rev. Mr. Lang had charge of the services and the congregation there over ran the capacity of the large building.

Services were held at Grace Methodist Church in Kennard in the afternoon and were attended by a throng which would have filled a building more than double the size of the church. It was here amid the scenes of her youth and amid her intimate friendships that the services held a special interest. It was here that she joined the church and spent the young years of her life and not only the relatives but practically every man, woman and child in the community felt as through a personal friend had gone out from their lives. The services were conducted by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Hiller, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Lang, pastor of the church at Blair, Dr. Hiller taking for his text Rev. IV-1. "Behold a door was opened in heaven."

Mabel E. Gaines was born April 19, 1872, in Livingston County, Ill. Came to Nebraska in 1874, and resided on her parent's farm near Arlington till 1882, when she moved to Kennard, residing there till 1885, when she entered upon a business career and for 12 years served as a deputy at the court house in Blair. She was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church from eleven years of age till the triumphant day of her passing from earth to eternity. Blair Democrat 6 July 1911

Miss Mable Gains died at the home of Mrs. Wainwright in this city last Friday from a tumor, which had been bothering her ever since she underwent an operation in Omaha about ten years ago. Short funeral services were held at the Methodist church Sunday morning at which Miss Maude Dixon sang a very touching solo, and the remains were taken to Kennard for burial. Miss Gaines was born in 1872 and was well known to the people of Washington county. She was deputy county clerk under Watt Gauldrie and Fred Kenny and was later in the county treasurer's office as deputy for E. Z. Russell. She was an active member of the Methodist church of this city. Tribune 6 July 1911

MABEL E. GAINES PASSES TO THE BEYOND

Never in the history of the life of the Tribune has its columns contained the announcement of the passing away of some loved one that the sad news were received with more deep regret than on the present occasion. With reluctance we say that the spirit of Miss Mabel E. Gaines has been claimed by the Death Angel and at 4:30 o’clock on the evening of Friday, June 30 her immortal soul was ushered into the presence of its Maker in that Heavenly Home where, during her life on earth she had taught so many little ones that the harp strings of the angels are tuned in perfect harmony with the beautiful souls privileged there through the acceptance of Jesus as their Savior, a pledge taken by Mabel when a little girl of eleven years and to which she had steadfastly clung during her life.

Hers was a Christian life, filled with pain when friends knew sorrow, rejoicing with them in their happy hours, was an active worker in the Methodist church and perhaps too active for one no stronger than was she devoting more of her time to the good of others than she devoted to herself. Her entire life was made up of good deeds that will linger long in the memory of hundreds of friends whose lives have been made the brighter because she had lived among them, and when her body was lowered in the tomb it was the closing chapter in the earthly life of one whose characteristics could be summed up in the following words:

She smiled where others frowned, sympathized when some criticized, inspired instead of conspired, loved instead of hated, always looking on the bright and hopeful side of all the discouraging features of life, living in the atmosphere of her last statement relative to her own probable death, “It is alright whether I go or whether I stay, I’m ready.”

Mabel E. Gaines was born April 19, 1872 in Livingston Co., Ill. and died June 30, 1911 at the residence of Mrs. Wainwright where she has made her home in this city for the past nine years.

In the year 1874 she moved with her parents to a farm near Arlington, Neb. and 8 years later to Kennard, Neb. where she lived until taking up a business career in 1895.

She joined the Methodist church at 11 years of age and her work among all classes, both in and out of the church, speaks in the hearts of the people as to her sweet, loyal, Christian life.

She was a deputy in the court house offices for 12 years and probably no other lady knew personally as many people throughout Washington county as she and all who knew her could call her friend.

The funeral services in Blair were held Sunday at 11 o’clock a.m. from the Methodist church and were conducted by Rev. Lang. At 2 o’clock that afternoon, at her former home in Kennard, services were also held after which the body was taken to the Kennard cemetery where interment was made. Both services were attended by a large number of friends and flowers placed upon her bier were many and beautiful, completely covering the casket, and were silent testimonials of the everlasting love of the friends who had placed them there.

Pilot 5 July 1911

After almost nine years of almost continuous illness, including an operation from which she never fully recovered, Miss Mabel E. Gaines passed away at ten minutes before 5 o’clock last Friday evening. She had been up and down during this period but was never well. She was taken down for the last time about eight weeks ago, the last three being spent at the home of Mrs. Alta Wainwright, where she had lived so many years before her parents moved to Blair. The funeral was held at the Methodist church, which she loved more than life, at 11 o’clock Sunday morning, Rev. C. P. Lang, her pastor, officiating. The W.R.C. also read their funeral service at the close of Rev. Lang’s talk. The body was then taken to Kennard, her old home, where another service was held at 2 o’clock, Rev. Hiller officiating, assisted by Rev. Lang. The church wouldn’t begin to hold the people who came together to pay their last tribute of respect to the pure and loveable soul who had passed to another sphere. Miss Mabel was born in Livingston Co., Ill., April 17th, 1872, and was therefore, 39 years, 2 months and 11 days old when her career here was ended. She had served as deputy county clerk and treasurer for twelve years and probably no woman in the county knew as many men as she. At the time of her last illness she was employed in the office of Riker & Chambers. She realized she must go and was willing happy in the thought that she had lived the very best she knew. She bore the pains of dissolution bravely and the end was perfect peace. She leaves her father and mother, three brothers, Arthur, who lives in Oklahoma, Elmer, of Scotts Bluff and Newton w., of Valley, and two sisters, Mrs. Nora Sams, of Pawhuskie, Okla., and Miss Orpha who lives at home.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Note: Mabel is buried in Blk 5 Lot 12 Space 3 of the Kennard Cemetery. She was born 19 April 1872.

Printed in the Kennard Enterprise on 7/7/1911


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