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Show Handcart Pioneer Ca!!ed To Reward Another one of Gunnison's highly respected and estimable women has been called to the final rest and in her passing . the entire community mourns. Mary Jeigensen Kearnes, wife of Austin Kearnes, and a long time resident of Gunnison answered . the final call shortly aflter twelve ..o'clock Monday morning. While her condition was low, the end was not expected so quickly, and after her daughter, Mrs. C. E. Ferre, had attended at-tended her wants and passed to another an-other room, the deaUh struggle was heard and when the bedside was reached death had closed the eyes forever. nJ Mrs. Keames had been in ill health for the past seven years, but was able to be up and about at times. Some eleven weeks ago she fell, injuring her spine and slightly fracturing a hip. Since that time she had been bedfast, and the complications, com-plications, superinduced by lingering diabetes and the advanced age, weakened the system and death relieved re-lieved her suffering. . Mrs. Kearnes, daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Nielson Jergensen, was born at Folster, Denmark, July 15,' 1846. When 9 years of age, she, with her parents, came ito America, and the family located in Iowa. During Dur-ing the fall of 1855,' and when the pioneers were wending their way to Utah, the Jergensen family started westward. The daughter, bult a mere child, ' underwent all of the hardships attendant to the long journey. In addition " to caring for a 2-year-old baby brother and a sister of six, she helped about the camps and did other oth-er duties. The family arrived at Salt Lake in December, hungry from long fasting and suffering from frozen hands and feet. During her declining years Mrs. Kearnes delighted de-lighted in relating the suffering and hardships, and the joys and comforts com-forts that were mingled while making mak-ing the long journey from Iowa Ito Salt Lake. Mrs. Kearnes was noted for her kind and lovine1 disnnsit.inn . Al- ways generous and willing to help the needy and care for the sick and injured, she made friends by the score. During the Indian wars of the early days she was among the foremost to provide food, shelter and 4 medical care for ithe ones who were fighting to protect the homes of the settlers of the valley. She sacrificed air for the comforts of others. She was a devoted worker in the Laitter Day Saints church, which she joined at Ephraim when but a young woman. For more than 30 years she served as ward teacher. She was active in all of the auxiliary departments depart-ments and she lived, a true and faithful faith-ful life. The residence at Ephraim was not long and in 1856 the family came to Gunnison. In 1865 she was married to Austin Kearnes and to the union eleven children were born, seven of whom are living. Besides the husband hus-band the survivors are A. W. Kearnes, A. H. Kearnes and J. M. Kearnes of this city, N. L. Kearnes . of Morgan, E. E. Kearnes of Salt Lake, Mrs. W. C. Martell of Spanish Span-ish Fork, and Mrs. C. E. Ferre of Gunnison. Besides the husband and children there are forty-two grandchildren grand-children and forty great-grandchil-'. dren . Impressive funeral services were held yesterday afternoon from ithe Gunnison Valley high school. Among those who came to attend the burial services were Mr. and Mrs. Joe Ferre, Mr. and Mrs. S. K. Roper, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Roper, Jess Roper, John Roper and Mont Roper. |