Nov 14, 1957
Mrs. Nancy Jane Bray Carr, Mt. Vernon, who viewed the world through
rose-colored glasses and whose tremendous energy and active interest in all
that went on about her kept her young in heart and mind, died at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday (13 Nov 1957) in Daytona Beach, Fla.
She would have been 94 years old on the coming Dec. 31. Her husband,
Samuel C. Carr, a teamster in Mt. Vernon prior to his and his wife's operation of
local hotels for many years died in 1937.
Mrs. Carr left her home at 202 Mulberry street two weeks ago to spend the winter in Florida in the home of her son and daughter in
law, Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Carr, at Ormand Beach in Daytona. She came back to Mt. Vernon last May from Daytona Beach where she had spent the previous year.
Her health had been failing for some time although when she was 85 years old
she had the appearance and the physical stamina of a woman many years her
junior. Her condition worsened steadily after her arrival in Florida.
The body will reach the Weisinger Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon late Friday night and friends may call
the after 2 p.m. Saturday.
Elder Lloyd Chastain, Salem, Ill. of the Primitive Baptist Church, will conduct the funeral service at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Weisinger
chapel. A private burial service will be at Bellefontaine cemetery at 10 a.m. Monday. Helen Rebekah
lodge will conduct a memorial service at 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the funeral home chapel.
Elder Chastain, who will conduct the funeral service, services Bethel Primitive Church at Farmersville with which Mrs. Carr,
the oldest member, had been affiliated for more than 75 years.
The deceased was the head of five generations.
Surviving are three sons, G. Wilfred Carr and Charles W. Carr, Daytona Beach,
and Sherman S. Carr, Murphysboro, Ill., a daughter, Mrs. Mary Finn, Mt. Vernon;
10 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Two sons, Owen C Carr and S. Luther Carr, are deceased.
Mrs. Carr was a lifelong resident of the Mt. Vernon community. She was born northeast
of Mt. Vernon, a daughter of Esquire Bray and
Elizabeth Wright Bray.
She and her husband operated their first hotel, the Central Hotel, at Fifth and
Main
street on the site of the present Williams D-X
service station in 1910. Subsequently for 35 years they operated the Carr
Hotel on Water street opposite the Mt. Vernon Milling co.,
plant, the Posey Hotel at College and West Third and then the Carr Hotel and
later rooming house at East Second and Mulberry. During all of that period, Mrs Carr supervised all and did a treat part of the cooking
for hotel guests. Strong of purpose and physique, she abounded in
enthusiasm and energy that were reflected not only in the hotel operation but
in her activity in church, fraternal and social organization.
With three sons in World War I service, she was a leader in affairs of Black
township War Mothers and was the last president of that organization. She
was a past noble grand and had been a member of Helen Rebekah
lodge for 52 years and was a member of the Women's Relief Corps for 50 years.
She was the oldest member and a past chaplain of Owen Dunn post, No. 5,
American Legion Auxiliary, and was also a member of Sunbeam chapter, No.1,
Order of Eastern Star.
*old scrapbook
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Originally submitted by Betty Sellers