The death of Mrs. Philip Balser aged 68 years, a well known resident of this city, occurred yesterday afternoon shortly after 5 o’clock at the family home on Locust street, death came very suddenly and peacefully.

Mrs. Balser has, for several years been suffering from heart trouble and has been partially an invalid in the last few months, but her condition was not thought by the husband to be more serious than usual yesterday and she was up and around the house as usual. Mrs. Balser had been reading the evening paper and laid it on the table near her bed and stated that she was going to lie down for a short time. Mr. Balser came in to secure the newspaper and as he did his attention was attracted by the heavy breathing of the wife and ere he reached her side life was fast fluttering away and in a few seconds she had passed on.

The death, while not wholly unexpected, in its way was a shock to the family in its suddeness and to the many old–time friends here who have known and esteemed this kindly friend and neighbor.

The deceased was a native of Dunkirk, New York, where she was born July 26, 1857, and spent her girlhood in the place of her nativity. She was married there on February 5, 1874 to Philip Balser. The family resided in New York for some ten years after their marriage, coming to Nebraska in the middle eighties and locating on a farm near Farnam, where they continued to make their home. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Balser there were six children born, one of whom, Robert W. Balser, has preceded the mother in death. The surviving children are: Mrs. Frank E. Hawkenberry, Tacoma, Wash.; C. J. Balser, Omaha, Nebr.; A. H. Balser, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Mrs. Hugh Cecil, St. Paul, Nebr.; and Mrs. Lester Dalton, Edgar, Nebraska. There are also twelve grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

On locating at Farnam, Mrs. Balser became a member of the Congregational church of that place membership she still retained at the time of her death. (From the Plattsmouth Daily Journal, of Friday, August 28th[, 1925].)

Farnam’s older populace were greatly grieved to hear of the sudden demise of this pioneer resident. She and her good husband came to this vicinity in the early days and bore their share of the hardships of pioneer life.

The remains were brought here last Saturday morning from Plattsmouth and funeral services were held at the Congregational church at 2 o’clock, conducted by Rev. J. E. Craig, pastor of the church. Interment was made in the Farnam cemetery.

The Farnam Echo, Thursday, 3 September 1925