Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 August 1907 — SUDDEN DEATH OF OLD LADY [ARTICLE]

SUDDEN DEATH OF OLD LADY

Mrs. Margaret Shay Expired Friday Night While Alone. Mrs. Margaret Shay, who for many years has lived alone in her home in the east pait of town, was found in her bed on Saturday morning when, at the suggestion of neighbors who had /become alarmed when no response was made to their tapping on the door, Nightwatch Thomas and Christy Vick entered the house. - Mrs. Shay was about 70 years of age and for the past three years has been in very poor health, suffering chiefly from asthma. On Friday she had talked with neighbors and complained of feeling very badly and when last seen at about 7 o’clock said she was very sick, and would go to bed. When Eldon Hopkins’ family and other neighbors did not see her in the morning and later rapped on the door and received nonresponse they telephoned for Officer Parks but he was out of the city for the day and finally Officers Thomas and Vick entered the house to find the old lady dead. To all appearances she bad passed away while she slept with no great amount of pain, and probably in the early part of the night. Coroner Wright decided that an inquest would not be necessary, as it was very plain death had resulted from natural causes. The maiden name of deceased was Sullivan and she was born in Ireland. She was the widow of Michael Shay, who died about 20 years ago. She leaves six children viz. Jerry, of Gillam tp.; Michael, of St. Louis; Cornelius, of Nevada; Mrs. George Warden, of Remington; Mrs. Nora Greenhull, of Idaho; and Miss Josie Shay, of Oklahoma. Children had tried to get Mrs. Shay to come and live with tuem, but she was more contented in her ow;i home and insisted on living here*by herself. The funeral arrangements were made after the arrival of her daughter from Remington, who was at once notified.