William Preston RENFRO

                   Obituary:

from Newspaper Archive
Alton Evening Telegraph
Alton, Illinois, USA
6 Jul 1926
Page 8
Death of Mrs. Mazzaretta Renfro
Mrs. Mazzaretta Renfro passed away at her home in Elsah, Thursday, July 2d, at 8:10 a. m. after a short illness. Mrs. Renfro was one of the oldest residents of Jersey County, being 90 years, 2 months and 2 days of age at the time of her death. She has been a resident of Elsah for eighty-four years, coming there from Harrisburg, Pa., with her parents, Joseph and Martha (Lame?)Lasne-Onetto. Her father was a native of Genoa, Italy.
Mazzaretta Onetto was the first woman to be married in the village of Elsah, her husband being a Mr. Brock, whose death occurred many years ago. She is survived by two sons, Justin Brock, with whom she has made her home for many years, and T. A. Brock of St. Louis.
Funeral services were held Sunday at the Methodist church in Elsah, at 2:30 p. m., Rev. M. Edwin Johnson of Chautauqua officiating. Interment will be in the Elsah cemetery.

Mr Howard Brock Elder related the following in a letter to Mr. Hosmer:
"Uncle Justin told of his mother's death, in her bed, 2 Jul 1925.  He said that she "picked at the coverlet" (a not-uncommon phenomenon) and began to talk to unseen persons, greeting them by name.  These were family members who preceded her. Uncle Justin said it was as if they were waiting for Grandma and as if they were greeting each other as she went to join them."