Obituary:
LULU DERBY POTTER
Lulu Derby Potter of this city was taken by death last Thursday, August 13, 1925. She had suffered with a cancer for about eight years and had been confined to the house for three years. During her illness everything that love, kindness and skill could do was done for her, but her Lord wanted her and her spirit took its flight unto Him. Until the last few days she had not suffered and was cheerful throughout her affliction.
Lulu B. Derby was born February 13, 1860, at Forreston, Ill. At the age of eight years her mother died and she made her home with her grandparents at Freeport, Ill., and with them moved to Marshall county, Ia., in 1875, and in 1883 to Plymouth county in the same state.
She came to Walworth county in 1885 and filed on the homestead which she owned at the time of her death. In October of the same year she was married to B.B. Potter at Ipswich, S.D., and they with Myrtle, an adopted daughter of Mr. Potter’s, made their home on the homesteads for eleven years or until Mr. Potter was elected County Treasurer for this county.
They then moved to Bangor where they lived for four years, returning to the farm for one yard after the expiration of his term of office, and then returning to Bangor to go into business. The firm was Potter, Burr, and Hoven. Later Mr. Hoven took over the store the partners had at Everts and the other two remained associated and moved to Selby in 1901.
Mr. Potter retired from the business about 10 years ago. During all these years the faithful wife was the counsellor and comforter of the husband and gave her all to the home, to him and to the children, two sons having come to bless their home, Clarence A. of this city and Claude B. of Great Falls, Montana.
Mrs. Potter was a member of the Episcopal Church, and for many years active in the work. She was also a member of and active in the Woman’s Relief Corps, the Yeoman and the Order of the Eastern Star. She was for two years the President of the State organization of the Woman’s Relief Corps, and served a year as Worthy Matron of Selby Chapter, O. E. S.
The same courage, energy and cheerfulness which characterized her home life stood out in her social and patriotic work, and no good cause ever failed to receive her whole-hearted support and the unfortunate always received her help.
Besides the adopted daughter, Mrs. Myrtle Hess, of Aberdeen, and the two sons, two other girls were loved, cared for and partly reared in this good woman’s home, Bertha Lawrence (Mrs. R. M. Schwartz) who preceded her motherlike benefactor in death and Fannie Hill, now Mrs. Otto Doherr.
The funeral was held at the home and was in charge of the Rev. Sayre, Rector of the Episcopal Church of Mobridge. The beautiful Episcopal burial service was read and sweet anthems were rendered by singers who had known and loved the deceased in life. At the cemetery the service was short. The casket covered with beautiful flowers, tokens of love and affection.
Mrs. Potter is gone. Her life was an important inspiration for higher thoughts, for nobler deeds and for greater achievement to all who knew her. The Record joins her many friends and loved ones in mourning her departure.
Source: Clipping from an old Family Scrapbook, newspaper source unknown
Submitted by: Family descendant
