Dora Laurettie Meriwether Johnston

This community is sorrowing today over the untimely death of Mrs. C. A. Johnson, who, after suffering for two weeks with hemiplegia, following the birth of a little son, peacefully crossed the divide into the great beyond on the evening of the 23rd day of July, at her home twelve miles west of Grandfield, despite the comforts put forth by anxious physician and kind friends to restore her to health.

Seldom, if ever, have we been more deeply impressed with sympathy for our friends occasioned by a sadder bereavement as we gazed on the wan face and lifeless form of the young mother, so irresponsive to the cries of the wee babe in the arms of another, and the sobs of the other son just merging out of babyhood tenderly held in the arms of the aged grandfather who, for a number of years has been an inmate of this home.

The agonized and suppressed sobs of husband son, brothers, sisters and aged mother showed their feelings that each in his or her turn had sustained an irreparable loss, a grief palliated by the feeling that this great bereavement had occasioned the entrance into the great throng of the redeemed a pure and priceless jewel whose life on earth had left an influence for good among those who had known her.

The subject of this sketch, formerly Dora Meriwether, was born at Marengo, Indiana, December 5, 1877. She was one of a family of eleven children, all grown to manhood and womanhood, She being the first of the children to depart this life. The father passed away about two years ago at their old home in Indiana. She, with two of her brothers, Sherman and Lafayette, came to this part of Oklahoma some years ago. She was successful in obtaining a homestead in the Big Pasture, where she had since continuously resided.

She was married to Claude A. Johnson in October, 1909. At earlier ____ she taught a number of successful ____ of school in the vicinity and was beloved alike by pupils and ____. She was a strong factor in helping to mold those traits of character and principles so necessary to the achievement of good citizenship on part of many of our young men and young women. She was always standing for the right, was progressive and patriotic, and with her husband, took a very active part in our recent great work of liberating humanity, they both being ardent workers in the Red Cross and similar organizations.

At an early age she professed ___ in Christ, and truly it may be said of this brave and noble little woman, that she was true to her home, her country and her God, and was beloved and respected by all who knew her. She leaves a devoted husband, two sons, Lamar, whose fifth birthday came on his mother's burial day, the infant son, two weeks old, Carl, a step-son, aged 16, an aged mother, five brothers and five sisters, all of whom excepting the brother and sister living in Indiana, were present during the late sickness, death and burial.

The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Ridgeway at the family home after which the remains was tenderly laid to rest in the Frederick cemetery.

Those from a distance who attended the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. George Bowers and three daughters, of Enid, J. L. Meriwether, of Neodesha, Kansas, Charles Horton, of Hugo, and Mrs. M.E. Meeked, of Temple.