Well Known Lady Answers Summons
Mrs. Mary Catherine Sturdivant, a daughter of Clark and Mary Wisely, was born at Coulterville March 7, 1869 and came to the end of the pilgrimage of life April 19, 1942 at 5:30 a.m. being 73 years, 1 month and 12 days old. She was at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Thomas Beck, when she answered the eternal summons.
Mrs. Sturdivant had been critically ill the past eight weeks. She had an attack of pneumonia which weakened her greatly and eventually caused her death. In the last hours of her life she prayed for her family and ministered to her longing daily by repeating portions of God’s word. She was always thoughtful of others even though severely suffering herself.
Mrs. Sturdivant being a native of Randolph County lived her entire busy and useful life in this community. She was a direct descendant of Lord Lindsay of Edinburgh, Scotland. She was representative of the best things in sturdy Scotch character. She had the distinction of being a twin; her sister, Mrs. Thomas Gillespie, who died five years ago being the other. When a young lady she attended the old Academy in Coulterville. At an early age she became a member of the Covenanter Church of this village. Then later she became a member of the Grandcote Reformed Presbyterian congregation. In 1910 she organized two Sabbath Schools in Washington County. She was always interested in church activities.
In 1889 at the home of her mother north of Coulterville she was united in marriage to Reuben Sturdivant and to this union eight children were born. She and her husband celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary in 1939. She was a good mother, a kind neighbor and a friend to all. She will be missed by her loved ones.
Those who mourn her passing are her husband, her two sons, John of Coulterville and Millroy of Battle Creek, Mich., and her four daughters, Mrs. Hallie Cox of Tilden, Mrs. Don Carpenter of New Boston, Ill, Mrs. Thomas Beck of Coulterville and Mrs. Alice Carlock of Chicago, Ill. Two daughters are deceased. Also there are three surviving, three brothers, John P. Wisely of Sparta, Elsey Wisely of Mt. Baldy, Calif., and one sister, Mrs. Jennie Bannister of Miles City, Mont. There are twenty-eight grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren. Besides these, there are many other relatives and near friends.
Funeral services were held in the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Wednesday afternoon April 22 at two o’clock conducted by the pastor, Rev. Paul Warren Duncan, assisted by Rev. Robert Stewart of Sparta. Burial was made in the Coulterville Cemetery.
The pallbearers were Ren Edgar, G. Gillespie, Harold Howie, Reuben Edgar, A. McClinton, and Leon Carpenter.
Source: The Republican, Coulterville, Randolph Co., IL, April 20, 1942 Page 1
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