Posted on: PaloAlto County Obituaries Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ia/PaloAltoObits/546 Surname: Brennan, Hamilton, Selle, Molloy, Conlon ------------------------- Emmetsburg Democrat Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa Wednesday, 5 Mar 1919 SISTER MARY EMALITE DEAD She Was a Daughter of the Late Mr. and Mrs. James Brennan of Great Oak Township Sister Mary Emalite, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Brennan of Great Oak township, passed away yesterday at Mt. Carmel, Dubuque; after an illness of several months duration. She was taken with the influenza some time during the fall and she continued to decline. Her attending physician, in due time, realized that nothing could be done to help her. The funeral services will be conducted at Mt. Carmel. The burial will be in the beautiful cemetery on the grounds close by. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Selle, Mrs. William Molloy and T.H. Brennan left for Dubuque Tuesday evening to be present at the obsequies. Bridget Brennan was born in Great Oak township August 31, 1884. She attended the local schools and grew to womanhood in her home community. She prepared herself for school work and for a number of years taught in our county. She was successful and soon gained an enviable reputation in her chosen line. In September, 1906, she entered the order of the Sisters of Charity of the B.V.M. as a novice and some years later took her final vows. She taught for some time in an academy in Kansas and was in the Sacred Heart school at Fort Dodge for six or seven years. From Fort Dodge she was transferred to a convent at Rapid City, South Dakota. It was there that she lost her health. Sister Mary Emalite is survived by five sisters and one brother, her parents having died quite a number of years ago. The sisters are Mesdames William Hamilton, Henry Selle and William Molloy of this place, Mrs. John Conlon of Leola, South Dakota, and Miss Nellie Brennan, who is living in Dubuque. The only brother is T.H. Brennan, who lives south of this city. Sister Mary Emalite, as a young lady, was ambitious, earnest, industrious and discreet. She won well deserved recognition among the honored young women of our county. At a comparatively early age she felt that she should give her life in promoting the interests of Christian education and she responded willingly to the promptings of her heart. The preparation was exacting and it was difficult for one of her years and her opportunities to abandon the pleasures and hte companions of her early womanhood for the life of a religious, but God called her to his service and she could not refuse to answer the summons. How well she performed the laborious, trying duties of her station in life is known only to those who were her pupils, to their watchful, zealous parents and to her associates in the order of which she was for many years a member. We pay high tribute to those who give generously of their energy, time and means towards charitable purposes and to others who make special contributions for the good of their community, state and nation but we seldom hear of the great sacrifices of thousands like Sister Mary Emalite who give every day, every hour of their time in academies, hospitals, asylums and similar institutions that others may be physically, intellectually and spiritually benefited. Link: Palo Alto County, Iowa USGenWeb Project URL: <http://www.rootsweb.com/~iapaloal/paloalto.htm>