CLARK COUNTY COURIER
F. E. GREENLEE, Editor & Publisher
KAHOKA, MO. JAN. 21, 1938.
VOLUME XLII. NUMBER 19.
PAGE 6 (not number) Column 1
OBITUARY
SAMUEL J. LA FRENZ
“A friend is a bank of credit on which we can draw supplies of confidence, counsel, sympathy, help and love.” This was brought forcefully to us Wednesday morning, when the community was shocked and grieved by the news of the death of one of our highly respected citizens. The yeas of close acquaintance with Mr. LaFrenz will always remain in our memory for he was a Christian friend, husband and father, whose purpose was high, character noble.
Samuel J. LaFrenz, son of Henry and Elizabeth Oblander LaFrenz was born at the old homestead near Woodville Baptist church, 6 miles east of Wyaconda, Clark county, Missouri, April 5, 1866, and passed away Wednesday morning, at 6 o’clock, January 12, 1938, aged 71 years, 9 months and 7 days.
He grew to manhood in the community where he was born and with the exception of a short time spent near Enid, Oklahoma, his life has been spent on a farm in this county.
On January 6, 1895 he was united in marriage with Miss Rosa Lee Hayden. For 43 years they have resided on a farm in the same vicinity and in sight of his birthplace where were born their ten children, five daughters and five sons, Virgil, Ruby Ethel, Gertrude, Sylvia Mae, Frances Elizabeth, Vern, Vance, Richard, Naomi Louise and Samuel Irvin.
He had been in declining health the past three years with heart ailment since November 24, 1937 he has failed rapidly. A week ago he contracted a severe cold developed pneumonia. All that loving hands could do was done, but of no avail and just before the break of dawn, the messenger of death whispered the sweetest words ever recorded to heaven’s music, “Come unto me.” And he peacefully fell asleep. He was beautifully patient and so appreciative during his illness. Life to Mr. LaFrenz was real and earnest he knew the recipe for true happiness, he was happy in his work, happy in his friendships and when once formed it was tense as steel. We believe the real secret for his happiness might be found in the fact he was a real pal to his children, devoted to his wife, they were to him all that he could desire and his home life was ideal.
Would that more had such a philosophy of life as he.
Early in life he accepted Jesus as his personal Savior, was converted uniting with the New Woodville Baptist church in 1902. He was deacon, church treasurer and for a number of years superintendent of the Sunday school, and was president of the Executive Board of Pleasant Grove Baptist Association the past fifteen years. Always interested in church, school, home, and people of the community, he contributed worthwhile service.
Having lived in the triumph of faith be has builded a monument to his own memory. What greater heritage could he leave to his lived ones? No words of friends can give mitigation of your grief; only time, the great physician in such cases can do that. But we mingle our tears with yours. For no more will the walls of the old house resound to his gentle voice. You will greatly miss him, and feel a chill of silence in the home where he once was, but his suffering has ceased and with all of his affection he loves you still. The “Shadow of the Valley” cannot eclipse the light of love, and soon, ah sooner than we think, beyond the boundaries of time you will meet never to say, “Dad Good By.”
One daughter, Mrs. Henry Blattner, his parents, two sisters, Mrs. John Cull and Mrs. Caroline Giles, two half sisters, Mrs. Minnie Heror and Mrs. Frances Whitlock, two half brothers, Henry and John LaFrenz have preceded him in death. He leaves to mourn their loss, his loving wife and children, Virgil LaFrenz, Mrs. James E. Anderson and Mrs. Charles E. St. Clair, Wyaconda, MO., Vance LaFrenz and Mrs. Victor Searev, Cresco, Iowa, Vern LaFrenz, Dover, MO., Frances, Kahoka, MO., Richard and Irvin at home; eight grandchildren, Albert Blattner of San Diego, California; Alfred Lee Blattner, Boulder, Colo.; Franklin L. and Robert Dillon Searcy, Dale Eugene LaqFrenz, Francis Edward and James Calvin Anderson and Helen Marjorie LaFrenz; a sister, Mrs. Emma Cull of Kansas City, MO., one brother, Ben LaFrenz of Bushnell, Ill.; a number of nieces and nephews and a host of friends. The children were all present at the funeral.
Funeral services were held at 2:00 o’clock, Friday afternoon at New Woodville church, conducted by a former pastor, Rev. F. M. Barker of St. Louis, MO., to a large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends. The floral offerings were beautiful and profuse.
Four nephews and two cousins were pallbearers: Waldo Cull, Raymond Hayden, Merton Hayden, Stanley Hayden, Chester and Cecil Hartman tenderly carried the body to its resting place. Interment in the cemetery near by.
Parvin Jenkins, soloist sang “Sunrise Tomorrow,” a quartet, A. L. Clough, Glen Clough, Orrel Currier and Watson Hauptmann sang “In the Garden,” “Does Jesus Care,” “Going Down the Valley,” with Mrs. Cleo Wilson accompanist.
“Deepest sympathy is felt for the bereaved.”