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Submitted: 6/4/11 • Approved: 6/5/11 • Last Updated: 8/14/15 • R117113-G0-S3
Birth: Jun. 21, 1893
Death: Jul. 15, 1907
Dell Rapids
Minnehaha County
South Dakota, USA
Dell Rapids Mourns
The Death of the Beloved Young
Daughter of Dr. and
Mrs. Sawyer
One of the saddest deaths that has occurred in our little city for a long time was the going out of the sweet spirit of little Fern Sawyer, who died Tuesday morning after a very brief illness. She was the daughter of Dr. O.O. Sawyer, who are among the oldest residents of our city. Fern was about 14 years of age and while she had never been a strong and rugged child, yet she kept place with the other girls of her age. She had been a bright student and a wonderful reader of books and periodicals, calculated for mature minds. Everybody loved Fern for her loving gentle manners and deportment in life. On July 4 she was almost overcome with the excessive heat and had felt poorly since that day, but was up and around until last Sunday morning when she grew worse. Dr. Spafford was called Monday in consultation with the resident doctors and wall was done for her that medial skill could devise, but at 8 o'clock Tuesday morning her spirit took its flight.
The funeral took place at about 4:00 o'clock p.m. Wednesday afternoon, a short and impressive service being conducted at the Episcopal church by Bishop Hare, of Sioux Falls, the clergyman who christened Fern when a child in the same church. The beautiful white casket when placed in front of the altar was banked with the most beautiful flowers and the aisle leading to the altar was strewn with cut roses. The little church was filled to its capacity with friends of the deceased and her family and many were unable to gain admittance. Messrs. Lester Bent, Homer Krause, D. J. Ridlington, Howard Elliott, P.G. Nesby and R.E. Kenefick, young men of the city, acted as pallbearers.
The death of this young girl just budding into womanhood coming to sudden has cast a gloom over the city and people in general express their sympathy for the bereaved parents and brothers.
Dr. B.R. Sawyer, the eldest brother, was in camp with Co. F. when informed by telegraph of the fatal illness of his sister, and he reached home Tuesday noon. Kenneth Sawyer, the younger brother, was in Canada and did not get home until Wednesday afternoon just in time to attend the funeral.
Dell Rapids Tribune July 19, 1907
Contributed on 6/4/11 by dellsfig68
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Record #: 117113