MARTHA MARIE THOMAS WILLEY
MARTHA MARIE, ELDEST DAUGHTER OF THE NINE CHILDREN OF MR. AND MRS. JOHN S. THOMAS. SHE WAS BORN ON THE 17TH OF JUNE, 1852, IN RAY COUNTY MISSOURI AND DIED ON THE 26TH OF JANUARY, 1921. AT THE TIME OF HER DEATH SHE WAS 68 YEARS, SEVEN MONTHS AND 9 DAYS OLD. IN 1875 SHE CAME WITH HER HUSBAND TO RINGGOLD COUNTY, IOWA WHERE THEY HOMESTEADED A FARM IN LOTTS CREEK TOWNSHIP. IN THE YEAR 1881 THE FAMILY MOVED TO MOUNT AYR AND HAVE RESIDED HERE SINCE.
IN THE YEAR 1870 SHE WAS MARRIED TO J.D. WILLEY AND LIVED HAPPILY IN THIS UNION TILL HER DEATH. MR. AND MRS. WILLEY WERE PRIVILEGED TO CELEBRATE THEIR GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY A FEW MONTHS AGO. TO THIS UNION WERE BORN NINE CHILDREN, ALL OF WHOM BUT ONE, BESSIE, SURVIVE THE MOTHER.
MRS. WILLEY BECAME A CHRISTIAN IN 1874 AND HAS BEEN A FAITHFUL MEMBER OF THE CHURCH EVER SINCE. HER FAITHFULNESS WAS REMARKABLE, SHE NEVER MISSED A SERVICE UNLESS KEPT AWAY BY SOME CAUSE THAT SHE COULD NOT GOVERN. HER CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE WAS A JOY TO HER AND HER LIFE WAS RICH IN SERVICE. ONE OF THE OLDEST MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL CHURCH OF CHRIST, SHE WILL BE MISSED FROM THE CONGREGATION BY THE MEMBERS AND THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH.
TO MOURN THEIR LOSS SHE LEAVES HER SORROWING HUSBAND, J. D. WILLEY, EIGHT CHILDREN, MRS. E. G. JACKSON OF BOONE, MRS. W.H. LONG OF MOUNT AYR, J.L. WILLEY OF DES MOINES, WILLARD OF MOUNT AYR, F. S. OF SPIRIT LAKE, WILLIS R. OF SPOKANE, WA., J. B. AND E. H. OF MOUNT AYR. ONE SISTER, MRS. MARY HIGGINS OF UNION STAR, MO. AND TWO BROTHERS, G. A. AND F. L. THOMAS OF WHITE SALMON, WA. THERE ARE TWENTY-EIGHT GRANDCHILDREN AND FIVE GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN AS WELL AS MANY OTHER RELATIVES AND FRIENDS WHO WILL MOURN HER GOING.
MRS. WILLEY HAD BEEN SICK FOR SOME MONTHS BUT SEEMED TO BE RECOVERING. LATE TUESDAY EVENING SHE HAD A STROKE OF PARALYSIS FROM WHICH SHE NEVER RECOVERED, PASSING QUIETLY AWAY AT 5:30 ON WEDNESDAY MORNING.
SERVICES WERE HELD YESTERDAY FROM THE CHURCH OF CHRIST CONDUCTED BY THE PASTOR, S.P. WILLIAMSON AND THE BODY WAS INTERRED IN ROSE HILL CEMETERY.
