Shelby  County  Indiana
Obituaries

Blades

The  Shelbyville  Republican
Monday January 26, 1925
Page 1 column 3
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COUNTY  NATIVE  DIED  YESTERDAY
Mrs. Lewis Blades Passed Away At
Bartholomew County Hospital, At Columbus
FUNERL  SERVICE  TUESDAY

          Mrs. Laura Blades, wife of  Lewis Blades, of near Flat Rock, prominent and well-known through the south part of Shelby county, died Sunday morning at eight o’clock at the Bartholomew county hospital, at Columbus.  Mrs. Blades had been operated on at the Columbus hospital during the last week for abdominal trouble.
          She was a native of Shelby county, and had lived the greater part of her life in the Flat Rock community.  Mrs. Blades was t daughter of  Mr. and Mrs. Chris Girton, and was born in Washington township.  She and Mr. Blades had been married about forty-five years ago, and since then have lived one-half mile east of Flat Rock.  Mrs. Blades was a member of the Christian church.  She was a member of the Pythian Sisters lodge, at Sulphur Hill.
          Besides the husband, Mrs. Blades leaves one daughter, Mildred Blades, at home, and  Clint Blades, of near Hope.
          Funeral services will be conducted at the home Tuesday afternoon at two o’clock, the Rev. W. H. Book, pastor of the Christian church at Columbus, officiating. Burial will be made in the Moravian cemetery, at Hope.

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Ibid.
Saturday January 31, 1925
Page 6 column 1
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OBITUARY
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          Mrs. Laura Blades, who died recently at her home near Flat Rock, was a charter member of the Shelby County War Mothers, and was one of its strongest and most enthusiastic workers.  The following obituary was read at the funeral services held recently for Mrs. Blades:
          On the most solemn and momentous occasion when we have all gathered here to pay a last fond and loving tribute to the everlasting virtue of motherhood; it is very fitting and proper to direct your attention to the beautiful and sublime tribute given to us by Joaquin Miller, the great Poet of the Sierras, in his song entitled, “The Mothers of Men.”
[Words of the song entered here]

          Laura Alice, wife of  Lewis M. Blades  was born on December 30, 1859 about one and one half mile east of Flat Rock, Indiana, and but a short distance south of what was known as Girton mill - an old, long vanished landmark familiar to all the elderly residents of this and surrounding localities.  At the time of her death at the Bartholomew county hospital, Columbus, Indiana, on the morning of January 25, 1925, she was aged sixty-five years and twenty-five days. 
          Mrs. Blades was the daughter of the late  Christopher and Melinda Girton, most highly respected ad beloved pioneer residents of this township.
          Besides herself there were two brothers and two sisters in her family of which she was the youngest.  All of them, however, have long since passed into the great beyond, the way of all human kind.
          On November 1, 1882, the subject of this sketch was married to Lewis M. Blades and to this happy union there were born six children;  viz.,  Clint G.,  Murry K.,  Herschel A.,  Frank Warren  and  Mildred M.  An infant, the first born, died at birth, while Frank Warren Blades died on May 2, 1899, at the age of one year and four months. 
While Mrs. Blades held membership in the Church of Christ; yet her motherly heart was great enough at all times to contain a complete fullness of love and respect for peoples of all other faiths or of no faith at all.  Doubtless to the bereft husband and children the loss of this loving wife and mother may appear well nigh unbearable at the moment; and while to every citizen of this great community her passing away may and does mark the loss of a most powerful influence for good; yet, even in our most profound anguish of heart may we not yet, in faith, lift up our eyes and exclaim as did God’s prophet of old.  “The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
          Laura Blades was a perfect type of most vigorous womanhood in all that that term implies. By inheritance, partially, coming into a great measure of fine mental acumen and a ruggedness of character possessed by few, she devoted all her energies to the advancement of every worthy cause that contributed to the well being of her friends, her family and of all others who came within the sphere of her powerful influence.  In the passing of our beloved sister the greatest tribute that once can offer today is the simple, unadorned statement that she was a good wife and mother.  While active in the affairs of certain fraternal organizations with which she was affiliated, she never lost sight of the great God given opportunity and responsibility of motherhood. She wasted none of her time on the frivolous, the non-essential or the artificiality of modern day life and, in this respect, her goodly example will shine forth for years to come as a beacon light unto the feet of those who would tread the path of virtue and of uprightness of character in the sight of Almighty God.
          She has fought a good fight; she has kept the faith and has won.
Truly may it be said that, as Deborah of old arose as a guide unto the Israelites, now, today, has a great mother of Israel fallen who, evenly well, has served and guided her loved ones into the good, the beautiful and all that contributes to the well being of all human kind.
          And now, trusting in the promises in the blessed assurance we may indulge in hope that we shall see her again in the fullness of everlasting life some sweet day in the not so distant future.
Contributed by Barb Huff  for Nancy Brock

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