Margaret Clara Rachford Stiff

Here is the obituary for our great great grandmother Margaret Clara Rachford Stiff.

Obituary

Mrs. Margaret C. Rachford Stiff was the last survivor of a family of five children. She passed away at her home in Rochester, Ia., May 27th, 1923 aged 79 years, 6 months and 9 days. She was born in Hodgensville, Larue Co., Kentucky, where she was united in marriage Feb. 16th, 1866, to J. C. Stiff. To them were born twelve children, eight sons and four daughters. Three children, John, Mary and Eddie passed away in infancy. She leaves to mourn her loss a loving husband and nine children, namely, Jas. W., of Rochester, Iowa; Robert E. of Boise, Idaho; Henry M., Davenport, Iowa, Chas. F. of Kansas City, Mo.; Mrs. Anna Sheldon, Wichita, Kas.; Mrs. Ada Finefield, Moscow, Iowa; Mrs. Kate Christian, of Tipton, Iowa; Peter C., of Wilton, Iowa; Clare O., of Rochester, Ia; twenty-six grand-children and eight great grand-children and many relatives and a host of friends who sorrow with them.
Mr. and Mrs. Stiff came to Iowa in the 1877 locating at Morse, in Johnson county, Iowa, living there until 1892, when they moved to Buchanan and later to Rochester. In her young life Mrs. Stiff was united with the Methodist church, to which she had always been loyal, although her frail health deprived her of the joy of active service for several years.
She was always interested in the uplift of the community. She was a lover of home, delighting in ministering to her family and enjoying the company of her friends. Her grateful disposition was manifest till the last days of her earthly life.
Funeral Services were conducted from the Rochester church by Rev. A. W. Straub, and interment was made in the Rochester cemetery.

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This obituary was received today from a fellow genealogist in Tipton, Iowa. She is a volunteer for the organization Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness and after we emailed back and forth a few times she asked if Henry M. Stiff was a relative. I explained that he was a great grand uncle. She emailed back and told me a story of how Henry was her great great grandmother's first husband. I remembered a picture that I scanned from the trunk at The Ranch and sure enough it was Henry and Rosa's wedding picture. I emailed her a copy and she confirmed with her mother and aunt that it indeed was Rosa. Small world!

In 2003 Terra and Herman went out of their way to go through Rochester, Iowa. They took a few pictures of the church and the cemetery. Refer to your timeline from the reunion in 2007.