Carlinda Lucinda Thompson Surprise (1850-1931)
(Mrs Oliver E. Surprise)
1927
gravestone
The following information comes from the Surprise family CD-Rom created by Janet Umlauf:
Carlinda Lucinda THOMPSON was born on 16 Jan 1849 in South Albion, Mich. Aunt Lucille's letter says Carlinda was born in 1849. She died on 14 Sep 1931 in Lowell, IN.
From the Lowell Tribune, Sept. 24, 1931, page 4, column 3. Also found in Clipping Files at Lowell Public Library--LH--"Vital Statistics," Vol.3, p. 30.
OBITUARY
Mrs. Oliver Surprise was born in South Albian, Michigan, on the 16th day of January, 1850 and passed away at her home in Lowell at 1:30 p.m. on the 14th day of September, 1931, at the age of 81 years, 78 months and 28 days.
She came to Lowell with her parents when she was 14 years old, and about two years later after a brief courtship, married Oliver Surprise, a young soldier recently returned from the Civil War.
For 30 years they lived together three miles northeast of town. For the past 35 years they have lived in town. While on the farm she joined the Creston M.E. church, later transferring her membership to the same church in Lowell.
Mrs. Surprise lived for her home, her children and her God. She got a lot of pleasure out of her flowers, which grew profusely in her garden. She took keen delight in her many wedding anniversaries. She never forgot the birthday anniversaries of her husband or her children, and they in turn never forgot her Thanksgiving and Xmas dinners. Her joy was unbounded when, on her 63rd anniversary, after years of her consecrated prayer, Mr. Surprise dedicated his life to God and united with the local M.E. church. Their last, the 65th anniversary, was celebrated May 17th, with the shole family present.
Nine children came to make this union complete, six of whom are still living: Three daughters--Mrs. Lovisa Love Jones, and Mrs. Ella Robinson, of Lowell, and Mrs. Hermoine Thompson, of Los Angeles, California; also three sons--Ernest A., of Lowell; Clarence S., of Allegan, Michigan, and Charles L., of Hammond.
Mrs. Surprise is also survived by her husband who is 91 years old, He is Lake county's oldest native born citizen and is also said to be the oldest Union soldier living in the county.
After a short service at the home, funeral services were held at the M.E. church last Wednesday at 2 p.m. Rev. H.L. McBride preached the funeral discourse. He was assisted by Rev. V.V. Hackley, of West Lafayette and a former pastor of the local church. Music was furnished by Mrs. George Foster and Mrs. John A. Taylor. Interment in the Lowell cemetery in charge of Sheets and Son.
The pall bearers were all grandsons, by blood or marriage, except one, Glen Surprise, and were as follows: Roger and Arnold Surprise, Neil Love, Will Nichols, Ed Selberg and Glen Surprise.
The flower girls were granddaughters, except Evelyn Cox and Evelyn Gerard, the other four being Mrs. Roger Surprise, Marian Selberg, Reva Love and Mrs. Virgil Nichols.
Those attending from a distance were: from Hammond, Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Belman, Mr. and Mrs. L.L. Bomberger, Mr. and Mrs.S.C. Dwyer, Mr. and Mrs. W.S. Shearer, Mr. and Mrs. N.F. Forsyth, Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Malon, Mr. and Mrs. Forest E. Gantenbein, Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler, Mrs W.A. Jordan, Mrs. Ida Tilton, Mrs. Elmer Jones and Miss Bertha Moon, Messrs. Murray Turner, Edgar T. Sipes, Theodore Moor, Peter W. Meyn and Clifford A. Etling. George L. Maxwell of Valparaiso and Mrs. J.L. Johnson of Valparaiso, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Al Barber and Harry Cole of Gary, Ind.
