On Mother Carrie

CarrieBrownCoolidge

“Carrie A[thelia] Brown Coolidge died at her home in Plymouth May 18, 1920. She was the daughter of George and Marcella L. Brown, born in Plymouth January 22, 1857.

“Delicate in health from childhood, she was a great lover of books and learning. She was a student for some time at Black River Academy, Ludlow, but was graduated from Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, N. H., salutatorian of the class of ’81.

“For some years she taught in the public schools of Plymouth, Chester and Bellows Falls.

“She was married to John C. Coolidge of Plymouth, September 9, 1891. No children were born to them, but her stepson, Governor Calvin Coolidge of Massachusetts, has been as dear to her as her own son. She was a member of the Congregational church and a faithful worker in all church activities. For some years she was superintendent of the public schools and also postmaster at Plymouth. She was a great lover of birds and flowers. To her flowers were messengers of God, speaking sweet words of fragrance and love. Her life’s activities were always done in the spirit of unselfish good cheer and thoughtfulness for others which endeared her to young and old. Showers of love and kindness from neighbors and from friends, both near and far, came to her during a long and intensely painful illness of cancer.

“Many hearts and lives were inspired by her living example of the power of Christian faith to sustain the spirit in suffering. Cheerfulness and constant thought of the happiness of others filled each day to the last.

“It may be truly said that ‘all her way through years of suffering to heaven she made a heaven for others.’

“Besides her husband and stepson she leaves one sister, Mrs. Flora A. Smith of Springfield, to mourn her loss and to thank God for her life’s example that the Holy Spirit still comes down to earth and abides in and rules the human heart.

‘God calls our loved, but we lose not

wholly

What He hath given;

They live on earth in thought and deed,

As truly

As in heaven.’