Ida Catherine Stein

Died of a pulmonary embolism after giving birth to Bill. The photo shows a few pieces of her china that were saved by a relative when Ben was throwing them in the yard while in total distress over her death.

Newspaper article dated June, 1904:

Sts Peter & Paul 's was the scene of another pretty wedding on Tuesday morning. The contracting parties were Benedict Stein and Miss Ida Aziere, daughter of Mrs. Mary Aziere. Solemn Nuptial High Mass was celebrated by Father Ignatius, a brother of the groom, assistant priest of Atchison, and Father Matthias, also a brother of the groom, director of St. Benedict's college, deacon, and Father Thomas as subdeacon. The impressive ceremony was made doubly so by the union of hearts of these two representatives of the oldest and best known families of Seneca and vicinity. Another coincidence in the mating was that each of them were the youngest in families that boast of ten children, whose friends are coextensive with their wide acquaintance in the community in which they were born and reared. After the close of the services a wedding dinner was spread at the home of the bride's mother of which relatives and intimate friends of the wedding party partook and enjoyed an hour of old fashioned genuine hospitality. Tokens of esteem in which the happy ones are held by the friends who have known their going and incoming for all the years which a beneficient and generous God has vouchsafed to them were attested by a beautiful and bountiful display of wedding presents at the pretty home of the mother, who surrendered her "baby" to the one who promised to love and cherish her until death. The bridal party left on Wednesday morning's train for a short visit in Atchison and Kansas City with relatives and friends, taking with them the best wishes of a host of friends for a long and safe voyage on life's matrimonial sea.

Newspaper Obituary dated Sept, 1917:

The death of Mrs. Ida C. Stein, beloved wife of Ben J. Stein, which occurred Sunday morning at 9:50 brought sadness not only to this home but to relatives and friends innumerable. She was ill but a half hour, death resulting from pulmonary embolism, which interpreted in ordinary terms means the formation of a blood clot in the pulmonary region. It is a rare condition but one where medical skill and careful nursing avail nothing. Mr. Stein was attending services at Sts. Peter & Paul's church when he was summoned home, arriving just a few minutes before her departure.

Ida Catherine Aziere, youngest child of Charles and Mary Aziere, was born at the old homestead on Turkey Creek, north of Seneca on January 23, 1887, removing to Seneda with her parents upon their retirement. Thirteen years ago, on June 7, 1904, she was married to Ben J. Stein in Sts. Peter & Paul's church in this city and the union thus consumated has been a happy one. Six children came to bless the home, all living. Paul is twelve, Benedict and Scholastica, the twins, are nine; Charles, six; Isabelle, three and William Clement, ten days old. Her father and mother, four sisters and one brother preceded her in death. Two sisters and two brothers survive her, namely, Mrs. Ellen McCaffrey and Mrs. Della Winkler and John J. Aziere, all of this community and Jerome Aziere of Greeley, Kansas.

Vivacious, ambitious, kine, helpful as a wife, mother, relative and friend, she embodied in her nature all of the virtues that made her life a blessing to others. If she had a weakness it was in underestimating her own strength in doing for others. In her short span of thrity years she lived a life of unselfish devotion to her family, her home and her church.

The sympathy of relatives and friends was attested by the large attendance at the funeral service reverently celebrated at Sts. Peter Paul's church Tuesday morning at nine o'clock. Rev. Father Matthias Stein, O.S.B. of Atchison celebrated solemn Requiem Mass with her pastor, Rev. Father Joseph, O.S.B., as deacon and Rev. Father Ignatius Stein, O.S.B., also of Atchison, as sub-deacon. Rev. Father Gregory, O.S.B., pastor of St. Mary's church at St. Benedict gave a most impressive servom taking as his text "Put Thy House in Order for Thou Shalt Surely Die." During the course of his sermon, Father Gregory said that sudden death such as all Catholics pray to be delivered from, is not the rapid termination of a life prepared for death but rather the cutting off of a life wholly unprepared. "If one cannot go to heaven from the kitchen or one's daily work," said Father Gregory, "he (or she) stands very little chance of going there at all." Mrs. Stein always kept her house in order. She lived her Christian life daily and was prepared when the summens came.

St. Ann's Altar Society of which Mrs. Stein was a member, escorted the body from the home to the church. (Pallbearers named here.) The interment was in Sts. Peter & Paul cemetery.

The Seneca Tribune Obituary, 1917

Mrs. Ben J. Stein -- No death has brought so great a shock or so deep a sense of loss to this community as the sudden death Sunday morning at 10 a.m. of Mrs. Ben J. Stein, of pulmonary embolism. Death came within thirty minutes of the attack, a tragic loss to a home made beautiful by her mother's love and devotion, and to the community who saw in her an ideal of womanhood. Her home was first of all her sphere, and she lavished upon it her richest capabilties, was to her husband a true companion and helpmate, to her children a tender guardian. But her influence was not alone felt in her home, but was broad enougj to include a large circle of friends whose admiration was the mroe brightened by the virtues her homelife so clearly revealed. She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul's parish and was faithful, devout, and earnest in her religious life. Her friends feel a sympathy words cannot express for the husband and six young children, whose loss of wife and mother is irreparable.

Her entire life was spent in this community. Ida Catherine Aziere was born on the Aziere farm, near Seneca on January 23, 1887, was reared and came into rich womanhood here. She and Ben J. Stein were married in the Catholic church here June 7, 1904. She was the mother of six children, four sons and two daughters; Paul J., age 12; Benedict A. and Scholastica C., twins 9; Charles A. 6; Isabelle M., 3 and William C. but 10 days old. She was 30 years, 8 months, and 23 days old at the time of her death. The funeral services were conducted from Sts. Peter & Paul's church Tuesday morning, September 18, at 9 o'clock. Rev. Matthias Stein was celebrant of solemn requiem high mass with Ignatius Stein, O.S.B. as deacon; and Rev. Joseph, O.S.B., sub-deacon. The sermon was preached by Rev. Gregory, O.S.B. Interment was made in the parish cemetery.

There are surviving her, beside her husband and six children of tender years, two brothers and two sisters. Jerome Aziere of Greeley, KS; John Aziere, of Kelly; Mrs. Ellen McCaffrey; and Mrs. Della Winkler, of Seneca.