Obit: Richardson, Hattie S. (1868 - 1943)

Contact: Audrey Roedl
Email: audero@charter.net

Surnames: Richardson, Cowles, Byse

----Source: The Loyal Tribune, 08 April 1943

Richardson, Hattie S. (31 JAN 1868 - 22 MAR 1943)

Hattie S. Richardson, only daughter Charles Wesley and Mary Ann Cowles, was born in Leroy, Dodge county, Wis., on Jan. 31, 1868, and died at Grant, Fla., on Mar. 22, 1943, at the close of 75 busy and fruitful years.

Graduating from Mayville high school and also attending Ripon college, she prepared herself for seven years of teaching. When employed at Spencer, she met D. V. Richardson, a brilliant young lawyer and teacher, to whom she was married on Nov. 2, 1894. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson moved to Loyal, where Mr. Richardson had founded and was the first editor of the Loyal Tribune, established in February, 1894. After moving to Loyal, he was assisted by his talented wife.

Mr. Richardson died in 1904, leaving his young wife, a small son and daughter to face life alone, and yet not alone, for Mrs. Richardson had a God-given faith that helped her to meet life serenely and go bravely on.

For a time she taught school and gave music lessons. In 1916 the Tribune was re-purchased by her from William Neuenfeldt, now publisher of the Greenwood Gleaner. She was its editor for eight years. She sold her interests to George Rogers and Leon Thelken in March 1923.In June, 1923, she bought back the interests of Mr. Rogers and operated as Richardson and Thelken until the spring of 1924, when she sold her interest to Mr. Thelken, who was publisher until Mar. 17, 1925, when his interests were bought by Lawrence Cowles, a nephew of the deceased, and her brother, Edward M. Cowles. On Feb. 1, 1927, J. R. Steiner purchased the interest of his father-in-law, Edward M. Cowles, in the tribune making the firm of Cowles and Steiner, now publishers of the tribune.

She spent 10 years with her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Byse, at Neillsville. In The fall of 1041, she accompanied them to Fort Pierce, Fla. Many were the glowing accounts she wrote her friends of her winter in the land of sunshine.

Just as it was about time for her to return to her beloved Wisconsin she suffered a stroke on Mar. 7, 1942, from which she never recovered sufficiently to make the long trip north. For over a year she was tenderly cared for by her daughter. On Mar. 17, 1943, she became weaker, lapsing into a coma from which she never revived, slipping peacefully away at 11 p.m. Monday, Mar, 22.

Though far away from old friends, new ones were kind and sympathetic through the months of trial and in the final need. The funeral was held in the Yates Funeral Home at Fort Pierce on Wednesday, Mar. 24, with the Rev. Henry Colpepper of Hendry Memorial Methodist church, officiating. Burial was at Fort Pierce, where Mr. and Mrs. Byse plan to make their home.

Mrs. Richardson was preceded in death by her son, Verland and two brothers, Frank and Edward. She is survived by her daughter, Mrs. Byse; one brother, Albert Cowles, of Eagle Bend, Minn., and two granddaughters, Winifred and Lois Beth Richardson, of Monroe, Wis., many other relatives and a host of friends.

Friends attending the funeral included Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Smith of Lakeville, Conn., Mrs. J. Westerman of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Minnie Halquist of Sussex, Wis., and friends and relatives from Grant and Fort Pierce, Fla.

For 40 years Loyal was the home of Mrs. Richardson. She endeared herself to people in all walks of life, She was a life-long faithful member of the Methodist church serving in official capacity on its official board as church treasurer, president of the Ladies Aid and also of the Foreign Missionary Society. It was always a joy to her many friends when she came back for brief visits, as she often did, and now that she has gone "where eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entered into the COPY CUT OFF

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