Vancleave - Lillian Opal
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, 17 March 1905, p 4
A very sad death occurred at the home James Vancleave in Wingate Thursday evening about 8 o'clock, when the dark angel of death entered that home and took from them a loving little daughter. She received a fall on the side walk striking her head which caused the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain. Lillian Opal, daughter of James and Maggie Vancleave, was born July 24, 1897, died March 9, 1905, aged seven years, seven months and thirteen days. It is sad for the parents to give up their darling for a bright flower has been taken from them, a treasure that nothing of this earth can restore. But think how bright heaven will be adorned with such jewels. It should remind us that our lives should be made more of a reality in order that we, too, might enjoy that eternal home. Today we build our castles of hope and promised joys. Tomorrow death enters our home and they are torn down. We do not fully realize what precious treasures these little ones are until they are called away from us. Opal leaves a father, mother and one brother, Leslie, besides a large circle of relatives and friends to mourn their loss. The funeral, conducted by Rev. Mr. Fraley, was held at the M.E. church at 2:30 Saturday afternoon interment taking place in the South Cemetery beside the remains of her mother. The following little girls acted as flower bearers Helen Fraley, Georgia Gilkey, Frances Long and Nono, Minnie and Claudine Vancleave. The pall bearers were Misses Hazel Bittle, Lucile Palin, Verna Goff, Edith Bush, Ina Hatton and Opal Cording. - kbz