Lillie E. Riney (Bick)

We likewise know very little about Grandma Riney. She lived twelve years after the death of her husband and died of cancer of the cecum, myocardial degeneration, and mitial stenosis with incompetence.

After her husband died at a young age, Grandma was left with four children to support. The girls were nearly raised and would be leaving home as wives within a few years. As noted above, when Grandma could not keep up on the mortgage payments, they had to move to a substantially poorer house. My daddy was not quite fourteen years old, and his younger brother was only ten. I’m sure this is the reason Daddy dropped out of school—to help support the family.

Even though she was a Methodist, she always took the children to Mass on Sunday and then sat in the back of the church while they had catechism class.

When Mother and Daddy were married, Mother looked down on Grandma Riney and thought her own family was much better than Daddy’s since Daddy’s family was so poor. She later realized that it wasn’t Grandma Riney’s fault that they were so poor.

Lillie Edith Bick, daughter of Lewis and Amelia Bick, was born February 4, 1886, in Lewis county, Missouri, and passed away at the Laughlin hospital in Kirksville, October 23, 1939, aged 53 years, 8 months and 19 days. Most of her life was spent in Lewis and Clark counties. In 1908 she was united in marriage to Frank B. Riney, who preceded her in death January 24, 1927. To this union were born four children, all of whom survive, Mrs. Margaret Ellison of Williamstown, Mrs. Josephine Tate of Palmyra, Lewis Riney of Canton and Walter Riney of Williamstown. She is also survived by an aged mother, one brother, one sister, three grandchildren and several other relatives and a host of friends. She was a devoted mother and after the death of her husband continued to live on the farm, caring for her children. For the past year she has been in failing health, gradually growing worse until at last she was taken to the hospital, hoping that an operation would prolong her life, but it was not to be and the end came Monday evening about seven o'clock. She will be sadly missed, but there is comfort in the thought that her sufferings are ended.

The funeral was held at the home near Williamstown Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock, Father O'Duignan of St. Patrick officiating. Burial was in St. Patrick cemetery. The singers were Mrs. Irene Pearl, Mrs. Marie Brennan, Miss Lucille and Miss Katherine Danker. The pall bearers were nephews of the deceased, Henry, Walter and Irvie Fishback, Russell, Joe and Pat Riney.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Apr 8 2018, 19:32:31 UTC
• Updated from Find A Grave Memorial via brother Walter Theodore Bick by SmartCopy: Feb 20 2015, 6:33:33 UTC
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: May 15 2020, 15:33:43 UTC