OBITUARY

New Zealand Tablet, 3 June 1915, Page 45

OBITUARY

MR. PATRICK RYAN, ALTON', TARANAKI. The death occurred on Wednesday, May 5, of Mr. Patrick Ryan, a most respected resident of Alton, Taranaki. Mr. Ryan was a native of Anna, County Limerick, and was a staunch Catholic, and came of a very old and respected Irish family. He arrived in the Dominion forty years ago, and took up his residence in the Rangitikei district. He left there ten years ago for Taranaki, where he commenced dairying, which he continued up to the time of his death. Deceased was a very active, hard-working man, and. had always enjoyed excellent health. It was only a fortnight before his death that he'danced an Irish jig, which would have done credit to a much younger person. Deceased was eighty years of age, and was attended in his last illness by the Rev. Father Duffy, of Patea. He leaves a widow and grown-up family—three sons and two daughters—to mourn their loss. —R.I.P. MRS. BENJAMIN HART, WETHERSTONES. , With feelings of the deepest regret and sympathy it is our painful duty to announce the death of Mrs. Benjamin Hart, of Wetherstones, a lady who was highly respected, also much loved and esteemed by all who knew her. The deceased (says the Tuapeka Times) was born in Athlone, County Westmeath, and came to Victoria in the early days when 18 years of age, and was married the year following to Mr. Benjamin Hart, who still survives her. She arrived in Wetherstones, New Zealand, in 1863, with her then family of three children, ■ and had continuously resided there since that date —a period of over fifty years. For the past _ 18 years or more she has been practically an invalid, having been more or less confined to her house. Although an

- "]',-"■- '.:■■ •■■.-:.■-,. 'rw: ■ ■'■:■ '■-..£ -*.-. - : '■■•■<>'s■''.'.:'£'■* invalid she bore her affliction with heroic fortitude and calm, and by her cheerful disposition and kindly interest in the welfare of others edified all who had the honor of her acquaintance and personal friendship. Her broad-minded ' charities were proverbial, in fact her warm-hearted womanly devotion in the cause of charity and philanthropy can only be fully known to herself, as from her retiring disposition, she preferred not to parade her good works but to keep them hidden, doing all for the love of God. She was a loving wife and a most devoted mother. She was blessed with a large family of eleven children, and, with the exception of her eldest son, who died through an accident forty years ago, all her family are still living. The following is a list of her children who are left to mourn their loss: Mrs. Rattray (Melbourne), Mrs. Ronald Montgomery (Nelson), Mr. Henry Hart (Manager Simpson and Hart, Ltd., Lawrence), Mr. Edward Haward Hart (hotelkeeper, Waverley, Taranaki), Mr. Albert Hart (Lawrence), Mr. Fred Hart (chief clerk Supreme Court, Wanganui), Sister Xavier (Dominican Convent, Oamaru), Miss Ethel Hart (Wetherstones), Mr. Ernest Hart (farmer, Whenuakoa). As an instance of this good lady's heroism and bravery we might state that in 1864 the Targe dam on the heights above her house at Wetherstones suddenly burst, and the full volume of the escaped water came down in one rushing, roaring torrent upon her home with overwhelming force and carried all before it. With great presence of mind she seized her then infant son (Mr. Henry Hart) in her arms and heroically battled with the raging torrents of water, saving her infant and other children from certain death, and for which miraculous escape she fervently thanked Almighty God. Needless to say her home and all its belongings were entirely washed away by the flood. On Sunday, May 23, at St. Patrick's Church, Lawrence, Miss Mary Woods (organist), as a mark of respect to the late Mrs. Hart played Chopin's 'Funeral March ' at the Offertory and the- ' Dead March ' in ' Saul at the conclusion of the Mass. The Very Rev. Mgr. O'Leary made feeling and touching reference to the loss he and the congregation had sustained in the death of Mrs. Hart; also how much they were all indebted to her for practical and valuable' assistance in all matters appertaining to-the welfare of the Church and congregation, and for which they owed her the deepest debt of gratitude, He instanced the beautiful and artistic statues of our Blessed Lady and Child, and St. Joseph which adorned their church to-day as lasting monuments of her lively faith and large-hearted generosity. She was a most edifying example to all in the Christian and patient manner in which she bore her great affliction during a long weary period of many years' suffering. Withal she was at all times happy and cheerful, bearing her trials nobly and with true Christian resignation to the will of Almighty God. The funeral took place on Wednesday of last week from St. Patrick's Church, Lawrence, the cortege being exceptionally long. There were a large number of friends present from Dunedin, while the surrounding districts were all well represented. Very Rev. Mgr. O'Leary, assisted by Very Rev. Father Coffey, Adm. (Dunedin), and by Rev. Father Kaveney, officiated at the graveside.—R.l.P.