SHIRK, Elvessa Booe
ELVESSA BOOE SHIRK
Source: Iva Lewis Obituary Scrapbook
There was much genuine sorrow in
our city when the sad message was received that Mrs. Elvessa Booe Shirk had
died at the Palmer hospital in Frankfort at 6 o’clock Wednesday evening. The
message was no surprise as her relatives and friends had bowed to the
inevitable and knew that it was impossible for her to survive, they patiently
awaited the end. But when the end came it was the setting of the sun of one of
our city’s most beloved women, a woman of high character, a woman who had been
identified with all that is good for the betterment of our city, a woman
possessing the true friendship of everyone, a good Christian who had lived so
that she was prepared to answer her Master’s call when it was His wish to
command that her spirit come unto its home eternal. It will be remembered that
her husband, Arthur M. Booe, passed to the Great Beyond eighteen months ago
Thursday. His death was truly mourned by all, as a better man never lived. Mrs.
Booe occupied the old homestead with her son-in-law and daughter, Rev.
McGaughey and wife, and they continued the drug business of her husband. A
short time ago she was again married to David Shirk, once of the best known
residents of the south part of the county. About the time of their marriage or,
in fact, prior to it, Mrs. Shirk began ailing and slowly continued to grow
worse until her relatives decided to consult a specialist. She was taken to Indianapolis,
Martinsville, and in fact several places to medical men of reputation and while
they made diagnosis of her illness they seemed baffled in being able to check
its ad-…….. could do was done for her, no pains nor expense was spared. About
five weeks ago she was taken to Dr. Palmer, an excellent specialist of
Frankfort and placed under his care. It was not long until he saw that nothing
could be done for her, and told her dear ones that death was but a question of
time. Dr. Palmer, as well as her near relatives were by a her side most of the
time and did all that could be to lessen her sufferings, which were too
terrible for description, and when death came it was but a sweet relief for the
beloved woman had gone to that home where sufferings are unknown. It was the
wish of the family that after death a post-mortem be held to satisfy their
desire as to what had caused so much suffering and baffled medical skill and
also to aid the science for the good of mankind, and it was held by Dr. Palmer
and assistants. They found the entire, solar plexus system in a cancerous
condition. The liver, arteries around the heart, spleen and in fact all the
vital parts were terribly afflicted with that most dreaded disease, they also
found a countless number of gall stones in the bladder and Dr. Palmer said that
mortal mind could not conceive the sufferings the poor woman had borne, even
though she had smiled with sunshine on the world, he said that no doubt she had
suffered for fully twenty years and that it had been so excessive that it had
completely wrecked the nervous system, whose close sympathy to the brain had
caused her dementia condition which was plainly shown not to be hereditary but
wholly from the effects of her sufferings. After her death the body was taken
to the Goodwin undertaking establishment in Frankfort and prepared for
shipment. They arrived here with the remains at noon Thursday and they were
taken to the dear old home she loved so well and there will lay in state until
10:30 o’clock Saturday morning when the funeral will be held. Services will be
conducted in the Christian church by Elder O. E. Kelley, after which the order
of Eastern Star, of which she is a past matron, will take charge and with their
beautiful ceremony will convey the remains to the Rockfield cemetery and there
they will be laid to rest.
Elvessa Booe Shirk was born in Covington, July 10,
1851. She was married to Arthur M. Booe Nov. 12, 1872, to this union two
daughters were born, Mrs. Birdie McGaughey, wife of Rev. McGaughey, and Patty Coram, who died in childhood, also an adopted daughter Mrs. Guy…….. There area two brothers
living, Daniel and Charles Glascock, of Pueblo, Colo., and one sister, Mrs.
Laodice Jones, of Carrolion, Mo. On Nov. 30, 1908 she was married to David
Shirk, who with the near relatives and friends by the legion are bowed in a
grief that beggars description. It is no task to write of they with whom your
association has only been formal but when the messenger of death calls they who
have been your true friend for a score of years, they you know to be pure at
heart; at peace with their Master and a friend whose friendship is priceless,
it is then that you cannot find words to express a testimonial that is
deserving and in attempting to speak of Elvessa Booe Shirk as we realize that
she has fought her fight and finished her course. Ours with every heart among
they of her many friends is crushed and we can only say farewell. It is the
will of the Master, Thy will be done.
The following correct report of the
autopsy on Mrs. Shirk is by request kindly furnished us: The autopsy that was
held on the body of, Mrs. Elvessa Booe Shirk who died at the hospital in
Frankfort, Ind., on Jan. 27, 1909, revealed the fact that she had been
suffering with a cancer which had its origin in the pancreas and had attached
itself to the spinal column, surrounding the aorta hepatic vein, the two renal
arteries and involved all the structures just behind the stomach, including the
liver, diaphragm and solar plexus of ņerves, the last. named giving rise to the
manifestations of those peculiar nervous symptoms and not being dementia or
hysteria. – jlr