The Carthage Republican
Carthage, Illinois
Wednesday
November 1, 1933
Page 1
Column 3TRAGIC DEATH OF
FORMER HANCOCK
COUNTY WOMANMrs. Dora M. Clowes is
Killed by TrainMrs. John Clowes, a daughter of the late Dr. Wm. Booz, met a tragic death Thursday morning at LaGrange, Ill., Oct. 26, 1933, when she was struck and killed by a train.
Mr. Clowes died three years ago, and she never ceased to grieve for him, developing a highly nervous condition, so that her children arranged for her to make her home with her son, Gail in LaGrange, where she had a nurse to care for her.
Thursday morning when the nurse entered her room she found the room empty and a search was instituted, and it was discovered that she had left the house in her night clothes and had wandered on to the railroad track, where she was struck by a train and killed.
The body was brought to Plymouth Friday evening and the funeral was held at St. Marys church, Saturday morning, with burial in that quiet city of the dead.
The five children which blessed the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Clowes have developed into fine citizens. Dr. Leo Clowes is a surgeon of renown and the other sons are all successful business men. Great sympathy is felt for the family for this shock and loss.
Dora M. Clowes, widow of the late John W. Clowes, died at her home in LaGrange, Illinois, on the morning of October 26, 1933, at the age of 69 years, 10 months and 12 days.
Mrs. Clowes was the daughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. William Booz of Carthage, Ill., where she was born Dec. 14, 1864, and near where she grew to young womanhood.
On Sept. 4, 1887, she was united in marriage to John W. Clowes of St. Mary's prairie. To this union seven children were born, two of whom died in infancy.
In 1900 the family left their farm home and established a new home in Beardstown, Ill., where Mr. Clowes became an engineer for the C. B. & Q. Railroad Company, which occupation he followed until his death on Aug. 25, 1930. From 1918 until that time, they made their home in Centralia, Ill.
While a young woman Mrs. Clowes was baptized and became a member of the Christian church under the ministry of her father. She was a faithful Christian, as well as a loving and devoted mother and wife, being a regular attendant at church services. She was a lover of the outdoors, and was devoted to her flower garden. It was her custom to always bring a bouquet of flowers to Sunday school and church services, after which they were sent to some one ill or shut-in. She never turned away a hungry person from her door, in this and numerous other ways she expressed her faith by her deeds of kindness and neighborliness. Some favorite hymn was often sung as she went about her daily tasks.
After her husband's death three years ago, she made her home with her son, Gail, in LaGrange. She never entirely recovered from the loss of her husband, but was never ill until the last few weeks. All that could be done for her was provided by her children, who will be inspired and comforted by the beautiful memory of a loving Christian mother.
She leaves to mourn her passing, her children: Dr. Leo C. Clowes, of Hinsdale, Ill.; Mrs. Noreene Thompson, of Colorado; Mrs. Frank Trussell, of Bluff Springs, Ill.; Gail Edward, of LaGrange and John W., Jr., of Chicago; three sisters, Mrs. Walter Cloud and Mrs. Henry Gibbs, of Plymouth; Mrs. Zelpha Davis, of Monmouth; one brother, Will Booz, of Carthage, Ill., and one grandchild, Doralee Ruth Clowes, daughter of Dr. Leo Clowes, as well as numberless friends and neighbors.
Funeral services were conducted Saturday morning at 10 o'clock, by the Rev. Clyde Booth of Carthage, Ill., at St. Marys Church, where she was laid to rest beside her husband in the family lot.
Hancock County Historical Society
Carthage, IllinoisSiegfried VII
Page 49NOVEMBER, 1933
Mrs. Dora Clowes, 69, daughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. Wm. Booz, was instantly killed by a train at LaGrange, Ill., when she wandered away from the home of her son Gail, when she had been under the care of a nurse. She had been ill for some time.
She was born in the family home in Hancock township and was married to John W. Clowes of St. Marys on Sept. 4, 1887. They became parents of seven children, two of whom passed away in infancy. Mr. Clowes was an engineer in the employ of the C. B. & Q. and the family home was in Beardstown until 1918 when they moved to Centralia. He continued with the railroad until his death in 1930. Surviving children were: Dr. Leo Clowes, Mrs. Noreen Thompson, Mrs. Frank Trussell, Gail and John. Mrs. Clowes' body was brought for burial in St. Marys cemetery.
