An Unknown Hero

As I was going through our family's library I came across an old envelope. In the envelope were aged, torn newspaper articles. As I tried to decipher the articles, I realized it was some of my family history. I was so proud as I read the obituary of my great-great grandfather on my father's side of the family that I thought I would share it. How blessed I am to have a family who came from Christian heritage.

"Mr. W. T. Stapler died at his home in this city at noon Friday of last week-March the 19th, 1926, following an illness of several weeks duration. It had been known for sometime that it was only a question of time until the Christian patriot would reach the end of the journey and enter a land where disease and suffering are unknown. He was a patient sufferer, and inasmuch as the inevitable could not be forestalled it was a comfort to the members of the family to see him cross the river on placid waters without a struggle and as peacefully as a babe asleep in its mothers arms. At his bedside stood the companion of his long and useful life who had been to him a companion in every sense of the word and also his children and grand children scattered here and there in different states, were near him to witness the transition from all that is mortal and earthly to a realm to immortality and heavenly atmosphere.

He first saw the light of day near the spot where he bid farewell to the world that was all bright and new to him, when near 74 years ago, he was born within a few miles of this place. All of these years he has lived and labored and while he traveled much here and there...(newspaper clipping torn here)...but one place that (...torn again)...him, and that was the community in which he was born and where he planned to die and be buried.

Fifty two years ago, he was united in marriage to Miss Harriett Elizabeth Burns, who survives him, and to the parents, God has given the following surviving children: Mrs. Emma Jackson of Miami Fla., Mr. Odell Stapler of Mobile, Ala., Mrs. Gussie Lowe (my great grandmother) , of Washington, Ga., Mr. Carl Stapler of Meridian Miss., and Miss Hallie Stapler, the youngest daughter and baby girl.

He has been a loyal member of the Presbyterian church and a devoted Christian practically all his life. For possibly fifty years he has been an elder in the Presbyterian church. During all these years he has gone in and out before the world and his brethrenments. No shadow has fallen across his pathway by reason of a fatal moral or religious blunder. And yet he was the soul of the highest quality of natural witticism. He loved the sunny side of life and lived it. It may be a difficult matter to find pleasure in writing of the death of any person, but if it is ever either possible or permissible, it would be in this instance. For: "How blest the righteous when he dies, When sinks a weary soul to rest." He possessed the happy faculty of making friends and holding them. In all probability he has never had what might be termed an enemy. Everybody loved "Tom" Stapler who knew him. He represented B. F. Avery & Son, manufacturers of implements for thirty five years, and the manager in a letter a few days ago paid a high compliment of Mr. Stapler, stating that of all their traveling salesmen no one was held in higher esteem than was Mr. Stapler. He paid exceptionally high tribute to his consistent and outstanding life as a Christian gentleman.

Well, there's nobody left in Commerce to take the place of Tom Stapler. His was an outstanding personality. We shall miss him, but we know where to find him."

The article went on to share the details of the funeral and burial.