Surnames: Roder, Ayers, Vine, Donnell, Ackerman, Budde, Stoffel, Johnson, Raine, Messer

----Source: Neillsville Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) Thursday, 07/23/1925

Roder, Elvira E. (7 Jan. 1874 - 1925)

Mrs. August Roder, one of the best and most favorably known women in the vicinity of Neillsville, where she lived all her life, was called to her rest last Saturday shortly after noon, after a long and painful illness.

Mrs. Roder, nee Elvira E. Ayers, was the oldest daughter of Martin V. and Anna Miller Ayers, and was born January 7th, 1874 at Neillsville therefore 51 years, 7 months and 11 days old. As a girl she entered the public school of Neillsville, took the high school course and graduated with the class of 1890 and spent nine years of her young womanhood as a teacher in Clark County, with the exception of one year, which she spent teaching in Pennsylvania.

She was united in marriage with August Roder, one of the substantial citizens of Clark County, in the year 1899, January 25th. To this union were born six children, three sons and three daughters, as follows: Mrs. Margaret Vine, who lives near Granton, Wis.; Carl, Neillsville; August, who died some four years since; Alice, John and Ruth, all of Neillsville. Beside her husband and her living children as noted above, Mrs. Roder leaves a grandson, three brothers: Gustav, near Granton, Wisconsin; Joy, near Shortville and Bert in California. She also leaves a large number of relatives and friends, who held her in highest esteem.

Mrs. Roder became a Christian and united with the Neillsville Presbyterian church in early girlhood, and lived throughout her life consistently as becometh Christ. She gained the full confidence as a Christian of all who knew her daily walk and conversation, and it was in her private life where she showed the most beautiful qualities as a follower of her Lord and Savior. She devoted her life to the care of her family as a faithful and devoted wife and mother to her children, but she was also sincerely interested in all the work of righteousness about her, giving her aid wherever she could when occasion arose. It was one of the unceasing desires of her soul to make her home happy and be helpful to her family, and to have her sons and daughters grow up into worthy men and women, who would fill places of usefulness in their community. Mrs. Roder was always interested in the work of the W.C.T.U. activities, and gave much of her time to the work of the community, Ladies Aid society in her neighborhood. With more than ordinary diligence and gracefulness, Mrs. Roder filled up the busy years of her life, and leaves an heritage of her loved ones of fine womanly virtues which they will cherish always with joy and gratitude.

The writer of this memorial has never known one who bored suffering with greater fortitude and resignation then did she during the last months of her illness, always cheerful and thoughtful of others. It was hard for her friends to realize what her condition was much of the time. She was conscious that the end of life was rapidly to her drawing near, and she looked to the end without fear for she knew that she had committed her all to her Savior, and only waited His bidding to enter into her rest. It was with beautiful thoughtfulness that she arranged her affairs for the close of life. She delighted to have her daughters to play for her some of the Christian hymns of God’s worship and designated several she wished to be used at the funeral services. Mrs. Roder so lived as that when the great summons came to her she was ready to enter the great beyond with full assurance of eternal life through faith in the Lord and Savior.

The funeral services were held from the Presbyterian church, after a short service in the home Tuesday afternoon, July 21st, Rev. G. J. Donnell officiating. The burial was made at the Neillsville cemetery. The pallbearers were Messers Joseph, Chase, Wm. Ackerman, Male Budde, Wm. Stoffel, Frank Johnson, and John Raine.