Mary E. Lasley:

Peaceful End of a Life Full of Good Deeds.  All Along Her Pathway Were Goodness, Kindness and the Sweetness of Charities. 

Mrs. Mary E. Lasley died in St. Louis, Missouri, on the 12th of March.  She was the mother of Mrs. I. P. Diggs, of this city, and Mrs. Mary E. Westover, of Fresno.  She twice visited California and while here made so many friends that that clipping below, taken from the Paris Mercury and Monroe county Appeal, will be of interest to many Woodland people.  In this clipping no mention is made of the birthday of Mrs. Lasley. She was born on the 23d of August, 1834.  The following is the clipping referred to: 

“After an illness of some days Mrs. Mary E. Lasley passed quietly away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Russell, in St. Louis last Friday evening.  The remains were brought to Paris and were interred here Sunday afternoon. Her death was much of a surprise to her many Paris friends, who had not heard of her illness.  The funeral was conducted from the Christian Church by Rev. Stine.  The music, by her own request, was furnished by the church choir, most of whom received their musical education from her.  To enumerate the many sweet and gentle virtues of this noble woman is useless.  Her life is replete with good deeds.  All along her pathway were goodness, kindness, the sweetest of charities. She was a veritable Dorcas, tireless and unceasing in her ministrations.  Now that the burden of life is laid down and we stand wondering and looking at the closing portals of the unfathomable grave, may ‘mother’s’ sleep be sweet and may she find a happy awakening in some fairer and better land than ours.  Deceased was a daughter of the late Ashby Snell, of Middle Grove, and died in the 63d year of her age.  She was married to Franklin Bickley Lasley, of which union eight children survive.  To these and the sorrowing husband the Mercury in common with their Paris friends, extends its sincerest sympathy.


Source: Article from the Woodland, CA “Daily Democrat” dated 30 Mar 1898.