Obit: Woodbury, Percy L. (1869 - 1895)

Contact: Stan

Surnames: WOODBURY

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 05/30/1895

Woodbury, Percy L. (6 NOV 1869 - 24 MAY 1895)

Died, in Chicago, on Friday, May 24th, 1895, of a complication of ailments, Percy L., only son of Mr. and Mrs. L. Woodbury of this city (Colby, Clark Co., Wis.), in the 26th years of his age.

This was a sorrowing community when, on Friday, a telegram reached here stating that Percy had passed from earth away, for he was loved by all who knew him.

Percy was born in Chicago, Nov. 6th, 1869, and came to this place with his parents when about four years of age, since when this has been his home, and, though he has been away at times, Colby was his home and the citizens of Colby were his friends.

As a boy he was a student in the district school; after leaving school he learned telegraphy and was, for some time in the employ of the Wis. Central Co., but later was given a position in the general offices of the Chicago & Northwester Co., in Chicago, which position he gave up to take the position of cashier in the Palace Hotel in Cincinnati, owned and operated by his uncle. Just previous to his coming here, a little more than a year ago he was in the employ of the DeKalb Fence Co. of Dekalb, Ill., but the panic coming on the company cut down the number of employees and Percy was among them laid off. Since then he had been at home, and, though offered another position later with the same firm, he remained at home at the solicitation of his parents. He was possessed of a natural business ability and would, if he had lived, been a successful businessman.

During the winter he complained some of soreness and pains about the loins, but gave it little thought at the time, believing it to be merely fatigue from riding, of which he did considerable while buying and shipping hay. In March he made a trip to Chicago and returned home quite sick and was confined to the house from that time. He continued getting worse rather than better until April 19th, his parents became alarmed and, accompanied by his mother, he went to Chicago for treatment. The physicians there were more or less baffled, pronouncing it catarrh of the stomach and finally deciding it to be gall stones and that an operation must necessarily be performed. On the 20th inst., an operation was attempted when it was discovered that a tumor had formed at the gall duct, which it was impossible to remove. All was done that loving hearts could devise and hands could do, from that time until the morning of the 24th, when, surrounded by his parents and loving relatives and friends, Percy dropped into that sleep that knows no waking, excepting in that home eternal, and those places and scenes that once knew him so well will know him no more forever.

The funeral was held in Chicago and the remains laid at rest in beautiful Rose Hill Cemetery, by the side of his maternal grandmother.

Percy, as boy, youth and man has always been a great favorite; open hearted and generous; always a kind and cheery word for everybody; disdaining everything small or dishonorable. Why should he not be loved by all?

We loved him as a younger brother and we pen this feeble attempt to set…(the rest of my copy was cut off)