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Show Parowan's Oldest Resident Dies at Home, Honored at Saturday Funeral Services AMELIA J. TOPHAM someone she felt might have been neglected. The nieces and nephews never ne-ver failed to call on her when passing through Parowan and never left until they had partaken par-taken of some of her dainties She was a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. I She is survived by one daughter and four sons, Mrs. Twenty (Eulala) Orton, S. Mario and Silas M. of Parowan; Paro-wan; Merlin June and Rulon J. of Salt Lake City; 13 grand-jsons grand-jsons and one granddaughter 'and 32 great-grandchildren. She has three surviving sisters: sis-ters: Caroline J. Hatch, Salt Lake City; Una Hathaway, of Midvale and Orel S Jostrom; three brothers, Glen Jensen, Ogden; Roiva Jensen, Salt Lake City, and Udel Jensen, Idaho. I Impressive funeral services were held in the First-Second Ward chapel here on Saturday j afternoon with Bishop Bruce Matheson conducting. In attendance at-tendance were all" of the immediate im-mediate family and grandchildren. grand-children. Speakers were W. Clair Rowley, Sanford Topham and Karl G. Topham, both grand-1 sons , with a biographical sketch being given by Mrs. Marguerite Orton, and closing clos-ing remarks by Bishop Matheson. Math-eson. The prayer at the 'home was by Kenneth Topham, the opening open-ing prayer was by Mardell Topham, both grandsons and the closing prayer was by Phil I TT.l.L i . - Amelia J. Topham, a native of Parowan and the city's oldest old-est resident passed away on 1 Thursday morning, March 16 ; at her homo. She had not been very well for almost a month but had been up and about the house until four days before be-fore her death. I I Mrs. Topham or "Sister Topham" Top-ham" as she was nearly al- ways called, was born in Parowan Par-owan July 29, 1872, to Peter M. and Mary Mortensen Jensen. She was educated in the ear ly public schools of Parowan, Murdock Academy at Beaver I and BYU. She graduated from BYU in the spring of 1894 and was valedictorian of her class in the field of educaation. She married Silas Sanford Topham in the Manti LDS Temple on July 17, 1895. She was left a widow with five small children July 23, 1905. She has been a lifelong worker wor-ker In the LDS Church, working work-ing in all of the auxiliary or- j ganizations, 70 years as a Relief Re-lief Society visiting teacher, 1 35 years as class leader, 40 years in the ward Sunday School and 12 years on the Sunday School stake board. She also filled positions in MIA and Primary groups.. She was a kindergarten teacher in her early years. Mrs. Topham loved little children and her grandchildren grandchil-dren spent many hours with her listening to pioneer and i Indian stories. She was espec-1 espec-1 ially kind to older people and Hatch, a nephew. A son, Rulon Topham, dedicated the grave. Prelude music was by June Decker and musical numbers included the song, "Heaven Is My Home" by a double mixed quartet consisting of Marian Hyatt, Mona Robison, Elna H. Stubbs, Pres. and Mrs. Howard How-ard Knight, Robert Potter, Scott Potter, Ray Adams and Howard Stubbs, accompanied by Mrs. Decker; a vocal duet, "Oh My Father" by Mr. and Mrs. Daniel P. Topham, grandson grand-son and wife; vocal solo "That Wonderful Mother of Mine," by Pres. Knight, accompanied by Cheryl Lynn Stubbs, and the closing song, "Peace I Leave with Thee" by the ward Singing Mothers accompanied by Itha Mortensen. Pallbearers were five grand- sons, Joseph C, Paul T. Orton; David, Paul and S. Charles Topham, and a gread-grand-son, Dennis Orton. Flowers were carried by the First Ward Relief Society.. j |