The Passing of MR H.T. Strudwick J.P. of Duncans

Impressive Funneral

Tribute to HIs Character by rev. D. Parnther

The Passing of Mr. H.T. Strudwick J.P. of Eldou and Dry Valley. Duncans. one of the proprietors of the district, Father of Dr. Harry Strudiwck D.M.O of Crofts Hill demands fuller notice the the short paragraph which appeared in the Gleaner of the 6th inst. if the newpaper mirrors the life of the community. 

On a busy forenoon on Thursday 2nd May, the Wesleyan chapel at Crawle was croweded with a congregation representing all classes of the community and many visitors from afar.  Reverent groups waited in silence all along the route from the house to the church, a squad of police and scouts headed the procession. a large company followed on foot, and behind these 34 carriages and cars.  Five Wesleyan ministers and the Aglican clergyman took part in the impressive funneral service.

On Sunday May 12th a memorial service was held at 11 o'clock.  The church was filled again.  The Rev. David Parnther. minister of the church, spoke the tribute printed in part below.  The Rev. S.T.Brown preached an appropriate and impressive sermon.

Rev. Parnthers Tribute  

The Rev. Parnther said:

"It is my sad privilege to endevor to voice , however imperfectly, the thoughts that are in all our hearts this morning, and in the hearts of many who would be with us if they could.  Our hearts beat together in one great pulse of sympathy, and the master feeling which unites us all is this-that we have lost a friend a personal friend.  To some indeed our departed Brother was more than friend, but to none of us he was less tahn that.  It is characteristic of our people to mark the greneral affection and esteem of a community than the adoption of a pet name for one whom it honours.  It is as if it were a bestowal of a tiltle or degree which registers the mind of the people,  and so to the great majority Henry Thompson Strudwick J.P. was not Mr. Strudwick btu "Mass Hen."

I do not propose to attempt a biography of our departed friend who came to this town as a younge man of 24, and for 35 years made his home among us, but i wish to refer with sincere affection to some of the stirling qualities which gave him, and the family which bears his name the outstanding place in the regard of the community which was demonstrated at the funneral Thursday week 2nd inst. when not only the great congregation which filled this building but the entire community gave spontanious and reverent expression of affectionate esteem for his memory, and the sympathy with his beveaved family sentiments which are agin demonstrated by the attendance at the memorial service to-day.

First of all as a church regretfully part with a loyal, liberal, wholehearted Methodist.  He held for years more than one office in this church, rendering not a perfunctory service, ready ready and liberal in his gifts not waiting to be asked, and helpful in whatever work lay within his power.  Nor were his religous sympathies and help narrowed to the limits of his own denomination.He had relations and friends in other churches, and like a true Methodist he was "the friend of all, the enemy of none."

Then we think of him as a citizen.  We admire the energy, and diligence, and hard workwhich enable him to win to prosperity in business and to establish a home among us, building the beautiful residence which is an ornament to the district, and making self-sacrificing and successful endevor to train and educate his children as useful citizens and efficient workers in their generation.  His qualities of public spirit and patriotism found recognition and opportunity for public service for some time on the Parochial Board and for many years on the Bench of Magistrates in sphere he took his full share of work unrequited Except by the thanks of his King and country.

Other qualities endeared him to us and made him a example worthy of our emulation.  The domestic virtues were strongly marked in his character.  He was the head and center of a true family life.  Thoses who were privileged to know him at home appreciated the easy, graceful, unreserved hospitality of himself, of the gentle lady in whose grief our hearts ask to share to-day, and of the children whom they have trained in this courtly habit.

Beyond the limits of the home he was the soul of kindness.  The testimony to this fact is universal.  No one who ask a favor of him was refused if he could make it possible to grant it.  One who knew him well for years writes in a private letter that he was "a man of unfailling kindness, ready to help in any good work, and entirely free from the spirit of revenge and vindictiveness.  His great difficulty was to deny anyone anything." He was good natured to the pooint of allowing himself to be impossed upon.  That he could not bring himself to press his debtors gave too welcome an opportunity to the unscrupulous. 

The poor were especially the object of his kind heart's denefactions, and his knowledge and experience as a dispenser afforded ample scope for him to imitate.

THE EXAMPLE OF HIS MASTER who "without money and without price" healed the bodies as well ans the souls of men. 

He was a man of peace, and would rather yield to a point for the sake of peace than seek or maintain a conflict.  

His life had not come to "the sere auld yellow leaf."  It fell short by more than a year of three score years.