Mary Ellen McGinnis was my father's great-grandmother. She was born in December, 1859, in Cortland County, New York, and died on June 10, 1922. A previous post contains her obituary. News of her funeral was published in one of the local newspapers. The clipping was saved by her sister-in-law Ella (Campbell) Hollenbeck, and shared by Nancy Hollenbeck.
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WILLET
Mrs. Jasper Hollenbeck Passed From Earthly Scenes on June 10
Willet, June 17. - On Saturday, June 10, occurred the death of Mary E. McGinnis, beloved wife of Jasper Hollenbeck. Death was due to cerebral hemorrhage.
Mrs. Hollenbeck suffered a shock about 10 years ago, and had always been able to converse freely with her family or others, but for the last four months she was unable to speak only a few words at a time and this has been a great sorrow to her devoted daughter and husband.
Everything that earthly hands could do was done but to no avail and the end came peacefully at ten minutes of eight Saturday night. She had in previous years been a very successful school teacher in this locality and elsewhere.
She leaves to mourn her loss, besides her husband, daughter and grandson, two brothers of McGraw, Charles and William McGinnis, also two sisters, Mrs. Grace Dunbar of McGraw and Mrs. Rena Turner of Groton City. The funeral was held Thursday morning at 10 o'clock from St. Stephen's church and was largely attended by sorrowing relatives and friends. The beautiful display of flowers bore silent tribute of the love and esteem in which she was held.
Rev. Father McGuire assisted by the Rev. Mr. Canfield of Cortland officiated. St. Mary's choir of Cortland sang and one solo especially is worthy of mention, "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere," which was beautifully sung.
Mrs. Hollenbeck was very devoted to her church as well as a great lover of home. She was a loving wife, an ideal mother and an excellent neighbor and much sympathy is extended to the bereaved family. She is gone but not forgotten. Interment was made in the Marathon cemetery.
It states that "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere" was sang at her funeral.
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Listen to "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere" here:
(Click the arrow to play)
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