Harriett Matilda Johnston 1863-1943
Funeral services for Mrs. Harriett Brown, 79, were held at 2:30 o'clock Wednesday of last week at the Avondale church in charge of the Rev. Clarke of Keokuk, former pastor of the Bridgewater and Avondale churches.
A brief service was held at the Arthur Louk home in Greenfield at 2 o'clock before the funeral part left for Avondale. Dr. M. R. Talley, pastor of the Greenfield Methodist church read the scripture and offered prayer.
The pallbearers, three of whom were grandsons of the deceased were, Brown Ahnen, Wm. Ahnen, Vern Louk, Joe Campbell, Wilbur Steward and Carl Johnson. Interment took place in the Avondale cemetery.
Harriett Matilda Johnston, daughter of Rev. J. C. and Katherine Johnston, was born Sept. 27, 1863 near Bluffton, Indiana and departed this life at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Arthur Louk in Greenfield, January 11, 1943.
On March 30, 1882, she was married to William Lancelot Brown at Avondale, Iowa. To this union three children were born, all of them living, John W. Brown of Corvallis, Oregon, who with his wife and one son visited her in October of 1942; also two daughters, Mrs. Arthur Louk of Greenfield and Mrs. L. F. Ahnen of Avondale.
When she was eight years old, her parents moved from Indiana to Adair County, Iowa, where she has always lived with the exception of a few years in Adams county and several trips to the Oregon coast and most of the time on the home she owns, forty acres of which was part of the original home her father purchased of the government in 1876.
She had three brothers, two half brothers and two half sisters, all of whom preceded her in death.
She united with the church in early life and was always devoded to her church and church work. She was always ready at the call of anyone in sickness or sorrow and was always found in gatherings of enjoyment or work in her neighborhood.
She was a lover of all children and was teacher of Sunbeam class at Avondale for over 30 years, winning for her the name she loved of "Aunt Hat" to everyone. Although she helped everyone, she seemed not to be able to bear the loss of her husband who died Aug. 16, 1936.
She gave up her home about four years ago and has since spent her time at the home of her two daughters. She has enjoyed the companionship of Mary Louk, her fiend and one she could still help take care of.
She leaves her three children, ten grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, two sister-in-laws, Mrs. Nellie McKinley of Iowa City and Mrs. Anna Johnston of Guthrie Center, her nieces and nephews and a host of fiiends and neighbors who mourn her passing.