Obituary--Tucker S. Dragoo

This poor obituary has been in my pile of obituaries for so long, that I was beginning to wonder if I had already posted it and forgot to add to my spreadsheet.  ( I do try to avoid duplicates, but can't make any promises.)


This obituary is sort of a three-fer.  There was two brief mentions in a community column one week, as well as  a full obituary..  The obituaries of pioneers to the area are always so interesting when they give a glimpse of the journey made to get here to Newaygo county. 


From the 3 February 1916 Fremont TimesIndicator:

Mr. Tucker Dragoo passed on from this life last Sunday.  He was an old and respected pioneer.  He leaves a wife and three children, who were with him constantly for the past four weeks.  Mrs Dragoo is still very sick.

In another column was this item:

Tucker Dragoo, an old and highly respected citizen of this vicinity, died at his home one-half mile east and one mile north of the Tyndell schoolhouse Sunday morning.  Funeral services were held at the house Wednesday afternoon at two o'clock.  The bereaved family have the sympathy of the community.


And of course, the full obituary:

PIONEER OF DAYTON DIED SUNDAY, JAN. 30

Tucker S. Dragoo, a resident of Dayton township for about 47 years, died at his home Sunday after an illness of several years.  Mr. Dragoo had been suffering from the grippe.  He was 73 years of age.
The deceased was a son of Uel and Jane Dragoo, natives of Virginia and was born in that state July 9, 1842.  He came with his parents to Berrien county, Mich., when three years of age and lived there 24 years, engaged in farming.  In the spring of 1869 he came to Newaygo county and bought 80 acres of wild land in Dayton township, where he has since resided.
He was married in Buchanan Mich., January 22, 1865, to Sarah Kirkendall, a native of Ohio, who still survives him.  He is also survived by two sons, Lawrence, of Dayton, A. J. Dragoo of Traverse City, and Myrtle who is at home.
Mr. Dragoo saw all the hardships of the pioneer and helped to make this community one of the best sections in the state.
The funeral services were held yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the home and the burial took place in Maple Grove cemetery.

I enjoy the way this obituary is full of all the necessary details: dates, family, places. so compete!  Another plus is that it, along with the two smaller blurbs, gives a hint of his life, even without going into all the flowery language.  A simple, clean, complete, and satisfying obituary.