Obituary--Mrs. Mary Shimmons

I love this obituary, if you can call it that.  Virtually no vital statistics; it doesn't even give the name of her husband!  I found that very surprising.  Usually we have his name and nothing else.  But we do have the flowery remembrances, even if she doesn't rate a headline on her death.

From the 14 May 1914 Fremont TimesIndicator:

The death of Mrs. Mary Shimmons occurred last Friday at her home in this place, where she died at noon of dropsy.  Her life answers to the standard of goodness.  She was rich in traits of christian character, well poised, possessing the graces of the spirit and free from those angles that sometimes mar the symmetry of life.  By nature she was modest, quiet and unassuming, yet, this had in it no weakness.  She had opinions and expressed them, they were free from dognatism, and her gratitude was in no sense obtuseness.  The funeral occurred in the Baptist church Monday where a large number of friends met to do honor.  Besides her husband she leaves one foster daughter, Mrs. Geo. Engle, and some distance relatives.  Interment at Newaygo.  Rev. Graham of Newaygo officiating.

In addition to the flowery language, and lack of information, it is unclear just where she lived.  As has happened before, it just says of this city.  Since it is possible, since this appears to be part of a larger column, possibly in the gossip section, the writer could have been in several of the local small towns.  Especially since it specifies the interment and clergy were from Newaygo.  Once we get out microfilm up and running in the history center in a month or so, at least interested parties will be able to look at the context these were written in.