Service Held For Mrs. M. Moriarty
Mrs. Estella Moriarty passed away at her home in Miller early Wednesday morning, June 27, 1945. She retained all of her mental facilities up to the last, although an invalid and patient sufferer for many years.
Funeral services were held at the Methodist church in Miller on Saturday, June 30, at 2 pm and the body was taken to the old home in Redfield for burial beside her husband.
Estella Reiter was born at Belle Plain, Minn., December 13, 1865, where she spent her early childhood with her parents, John B. and Caroline E Peiter. In 1881 she moved with her parents by covered wagon to a homestead near Redfield; and the next year the family moved to Northville, S. D., where she met and married Maurice Moriarty, a young lawyer just out of the University at Iowa City, Ia. They were married on December 13, 1883, and to this union ten children were born, all of whom survive.
The family made their home in Northville until 1901 when they moved to Redfield, where they resided until 1925 when Mr. Moriarty was appointed to the supreme court of South Dakota and they then moved to Pierre, where they resided for four years. In the spring of 1929, Mr. Moriarty retired from the bench and the family moved to the Ozarks of Arkansas, in the hope that the change would benefit Mrs. Moriarty’s already failing health, but she continued to grow worse and in 1931 they moved to Wilton Junction, Ia., the childhood home of Mr. Moriarty.
On December 27, 1935, Mr. Moriarty passed away and the following April. Mrs. Moriarty came to Miller to be near her children. She was a devoted and loving wife and mother, and her family and home were always her pride and joy, but as long as her health permitted, she always found time to lend a helping hand to others in sickness or trouble. She was a member and faithful worker in the Congregational church and Ladies Benevolent Society in Redfield, and a member of Easter Star and Helping Hand Society at Redfield. She was a direct descendant of Roger Sherman of Revolutionary fame and was herself very patriotic. She had four sons in the first World War and one son and 6 grandsons in WWII.
Source: Miller Press, July 5, 1945
Submitted by: Mary Buchholz, SD researcher