In Memoriam
At the funeral service for
the late Miss Mary Ann Dyer, held yesterday afternoon at her
residence, Dr. Dey read the following appreciation of the deceased
lady, who had been a resident of Simcoe for about 70 years:
Today we lay to rest the
redeemed dust of Mary Ann Dyer, one of Simcoe's oldest links between
the present and the past.
She has had her home in
Simcoe for about 70 years, all that time laboring with her hands as
a milliner or dressmaker, so helping to support her mother and
sister and herself in competence and independence and doing her bit
in matters civil and religious.
She knew Simcoe even 72
years ago, for her father was then pastor of Presbyterian
Churches in Vittoria and Simcoe, and little Mary Ann, then 10 years
old, used to come with him from Vittoria, where they lived to the
Sunday services here.
You knew her as one diligent
in business; "she ate not the bread of idleness." She was
careful and conscientious in her work.
You knew her as a faithful
and consistent member of the church to which she contributed of her
hard earned means until sometimes she had to be restrained.
You knew her as a generous
friend to those with whom she could share in times of need.
You knew her as a keen and
steady reader and an extraordinary conversationalist with an
infallible memory.
Having outlived two
generations, one would expect her to be well-nigh alone in the
world, but her business activity, her social disposition, her wide
reading and her faithful attendance at church till very recently,
kept her wonderfully in touch with the world around her and
sustained her sympathetic interest in its affairs, and so made life
worth living.
A weird happening in her
young life which flung its shadow over it till lately, was the death
of her father. He left Galt, where he was pastor of St. Andrew's
congregation, and went up Lake Superior to visit some of his
countrymen who were mining there. The boat on which he sailed was
never heard of again, and 'no man knowth his sepulchre till this
day.'
For years they looked for
his return. Then later, Miss Dyer cherished the hope that the
mystery of his death would in some way be solved; but it remained a
mystery, which we trust has now been revealed to her satisfaction by
her much loved father.
We rejoice with her,
remembering that having passed the three-score years, her strength
lately had become labor and sorrow; but now she has heard the
Master's welcome
"Servant of God, well
done,
Rest from thy loved employ;
The battle o'er, the victory won,
Enter thy Master's joy."
Blessed are the dead which
died the Lord, from henceforth; yea, with the Spirit, that they may
rest from their labor and their works do follow them.
The interment took place at
St. John's Cemetery, Woodhouse.
