This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: HENRY, DRULEY, GILLISPIE, FYE Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/JRi.2ACEB/2500 Message Board Post: MEMOIR, Matilda Henry Druley was born July 30th 1844 in County Derry, Ireland – passed into that higher life, called death, from Richmond, Indiana, Dec. 6th, 1911 – leaving a stainless record of 67 years, 5 months, 26 days. No words are necessary at this hour to endear her memory to those present. Her daily life in this community is the greatest eulogy we could present to those who knew her as mother, sister or friend. Truly she hath done what she could to make home happier, the world brighter, the friendship of earth-life sweeter; and the master said "It is enough, come up higher," and without a moment's warning she heeded the call and slipped away "and left us dreaming how very fair that land must be since she is there." When little Matilda was only four years old, and care-free as a sunbeam, ‘mid the shamrocks of Erin, her widowed mother decided to bring her four little ones to free America. After a stoving voyage of 9 weeks they landed at Philadelphia, and a few months later found their way to Union County, Indiana, where they battled with pioneer conditions to carve a home from the miasmatic swamps of this new state. The children attended all the schools they had at that time, the cabin home was a sort of self-culture club where these hardy children of foreign birth developed into honorable, intelligent American citizens. On October 25th, 1866, Matilda Henry was married to William H. Druley, of Boston Township, and as the happy years passed by, three children were given to the new home – Alston E. the first born son passed into the life celestial on August 26th, 1890. He was followed by her husband, William H. Druley, on January 15th, 1908. While her only daughter, Minnie L., and her husband, Douglass Gellispie, and the four youngest sons, Jesse T. Druley, with his wife, Pearl, and little Paul Fye Druley the Grandson, were with the mother to the end of life and are present today. And while we would not guild their grief with words of cheer, yet we want to say above the bier of Their Mother and Our Friend, that her sudden home-going loses much of its sorrow and agony because she knew while she yet lived how much we all loved her. She will be missed, not only in her home, but in the entire community. If all for whom she did a friendly deed should seek now to voice their gratitude this service would be prolonged beyond her desire. In girlhood she accepted Jesus Christ as her counselor and friend and united with the M. E. church, but when the Christian church was organized in Boston she and her husband transferred their membership to this church and to its obligations both were true until death. Then let us emulate her virtues and be reconciled to our loss in that assurance that "Death is only a glad awakening from that troubled dream called life;" and in "The beautiful Isle of Somewhere" we shall find that the bonds of friendship are eternal, and although interrupted for a moment by the incident of death, shall be renewed under cloudless skies, where there is perfect rest for the weary one; liberty for the enslaved one; home-coming, for the lonely and desolate one; eternal life, for the afflicted and discouraged one; and all our cherished hopes shall bloom in glad realty, and we shall find again our loved ones long lost among the stars. A Friend (One who loved her).