Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 126, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 May 1916 — FUNERAL OF B. D. COMER HELD THURSDAY [ARTICLE]

FUNERAL OF B. D. COMER HELD THURSDAY

Hundreds Gathered to Pay Last Respects to Prominent Citizen Whose Untimely Death Was Great Loss.

The funeral of Barney D. Comer was held Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Rose Bud church near his home. It was one of the.largest funerals ever held in the county, and only a small part of those present were able to get into the church. Mr. Comer was a widely known man and his friends cqme not only from all over the county but from many other places to pay tribute to his active fruitful life. Almost a hundred automobiles and many horse-drawn vehicles gathered at the church and followed the cortege to Weston cemetery in Rensselaer where the burial took place. The service at the church was consucted by Revs. R. W. Conn and Forest Crider, the former from Hatfield and the latter from Mooresville. Both have performed spiritual labors in this county and were close friends of the deceased. The I. O. O. F., of which he had long been a member, performed its /ritualistic service at the grave. The funeral was conducted by Calkins & Worland. Among those who were here to attend the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. George Barcus, son Orth, and daughter Irene, of Wabash; Oliver and Marshall Comer, of Roann, and Mrs. A. B. Scott and son, Chester and wife and their son, Charles,' of Oxford. Mrs. Scott is a twin sister"'of Miss Mary Comer, of this city, and both are cousins of the deceased. The following obituary was read at the funeral service:

Barney DeWitt Comer was born in Jasper county, Indiana, on the 12th of July, 1860; passed away May 23, 1916, aged 55 years, 10 months and 11 days. He was the youngest child of William and Phoebe Comer and one of a family of twelve children. There are left of this family to mourn their brother, three brothers, Malachi, Stephen, James, and one sister, Mrs. Jennie Boston, the latter residing in iCali-

fornia. Mr. Comer was bom on the ’ old Comer homestead which is now a part of his farm. He was married July 13, 1890, to Miss Addie Brucei Three children were bom to them, Ernest, Georgia and Marie. Little Georgia died in infancy. There are left of his immediate family his devoted wife, a son and daughter, his daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. \ Mr. Comer was the typical selfmade man. Bom at a tme when the northern part of Jasper county was little better than a swamp, it seemed to offer little encouragement in the way of financial success. Yet, when a mere boy, Barney determined to overcome obstacles and to become a man of means and of influence in his community. That he succeeded we all know. His parents were poor in worldly goods, but rich in the things that are worth While. Honest, industrious and God-fearing, they instilled in their son these qualities. His education was that of the common schools, and by his own efforts h* attended college at Valparaiso after he was a mature man. For a number of years he taught school. In that capacity and also as township trustee, he was an earnest worker for the cause of education. He was a member of the Odd Fellows lodge of Rensselaer and a disciple of Friendship, Love and Truth as laid down in that order. A year before his marriage he was converted and joined the Rose Bud church and for many years had remained a loyal and active member. Mr. Gomer was a great believer in Sunday school work and was always in hl's place. For many years he was chairman of the local Sunday school convention work. Activity was the keynote of his life. Whatever he did, he did with a purpose and an intensity that carried the work to completion and success. He was one of the men who do things. Whether as trustee of his township, advocate of good roads, teacher in the public schools, at the head of the anti-saloon movement, chairman of the Sunday school organization, he was a persistent and tireless wroker. Although he spent most of his life within sight of his he had . the vision and broad mindedness of ■ a man who has traveled much. He I was interested in the affairs of his ' country, was an ardent * newspaper reader and a lover of good books. He was public-spirited, broadminded, gen-erous-hearted, a true friend, a loving husband and kind father. No worthy person ever appealed to Mr. Comer in vain. His name was on the list for every good movement and at the head of every subscription for help to those needing it. His strong personality was felt in every public gathering. In the future where men meet at public sales, political meetings, conventions and church gatherings this helpful man’s presence will be greatly missed. His iplace will not soon be filled and his memory will not be forgotten. The last few weeks of his life he had been crippled by-an accident and, although he had to go on crutches, he was out working hard for the proposed new stone road system through Union township. For the past, two weeks his life had been filled with pain and suffering. His desire to get well was great, as he felt he had much to accomplish and many things that had been pushed aside in the stress of business, he felt he wanted time to do. However, |>e expressed himself many times as to his faith in Christ as his Saviour, and his readiness to go. Throughout his life he had a z m?m6rjrsT his sainted mother. His friends have often heard him express his belief that he would see her as he passed to 'the Great Beyend. Less than an hour before he passed away he looked upward and said: ‘'Mother, Mother.”