Mattie Hazel Blackmore ¹

  General Notes:

Sources: Family records and personal knowledge (Roy M. Lacy)
Original text of burial service given by Rev. W. Leslie Lowrey
Funeral Services printed program.
Fruita, CO obituary clipping ("The Daily Sentinel", Grand Junction,
CO, January 13, 1958).
Buried in the Loma Vista Memorial Park.

Mattie lived with my (Roy Lacy) parents until about 3 years before her death in a ward of the Orange County, hospital in Santa Ana, CA. She suffered immensely from the ravages of arthritis for about 14 years. Her life, although miserable with relentless pain, still managed to be filled with love. Everyone loved her and she in turn projected her love to each who would be near her.

The following is a simple letter written by Mattie to Otis's sister, Clarissa. Some corrections have been made for clarity.
Loma, Colo., Jan 11, 1925

Dear Clarissa:-

Your letter re'cd last wk. and beings this is Sunday will answer. To-day is little Margie's birthday and of course there was a cake with candles on it. She had "white" chocolate. It still is awful cold here and about all I do is shovel coal & ashes, same as you're doing I expect.

The three older children went to S. school this A.M. I haven't been for a long time, it's so cold for Margie & Lloyd.

Otis was to the Jct. yesterday & has to go Mon. & Tues. Mr. Buffington leaves to-day for Wyo. where he takes charge of a new sugar factory. Otis sure hates to see him go, he helped him so much.

We got a pig Fri. & I salted it yesterday & tomorrow I am going to make sausage & lard. Won't I have a hard day, fully expect to get 5# of lard - ha! ha! When Harry butchers our big pig he is going to send us half. Suppose you'll soon be in the lard making again.

Otis has been wondering if all of Claude's seed potatoes froze up at the Wilder place. But you said Claude stayed up & the folks were going up, so they probably keep the cellar warm. Ice making is in style around here now.

Our boys have been having a spell over sleds, we said get any it seems. None in Fruita or Jct. or Crews-Beggs. Today I wrote to Yarberry to see if he had any. There's been such a demand for them. They still have their money Uncle David gave them & we wanted to add to it & get two sleds.

I'm glad Florence liked the doll. I tho't [thought] is quite homely. Otis picked it out & guess he tried to find one to resemble me in build & looks. I just know she had a cry when she found her pretty one broken. It was a shame.

Say we sincerely hope we didn't offend you by sending the new overalls. For we didn't want to by any means. When I patched up those others I tho't they looked so patched & stingy we decided on the new ones. And just because the two little fellows happened to be ragged when we came wasn't the reason. I know how patching goes & in spite of 7 days of it my boys go seatless & kneeless sometimes. I only wish we had more to help out.

Tho't Ruth or Florence could make use of the nightie & skirts. There's too much "space" I guess you would say, between Phyllis & Margie to wear the "out grown's", so why ... [have?] them around.

Now you must get your dress made & get the good of it, don't be like Ida was with her green one. Cut out some sewing for the children or send patterns & I'll be glad to sew what you'll send, so you can get your dress made. I haven't any that's really needed right now & would do all you want me to.

Are you[r] hens still laying frozen eggs, we've had two or three since Christmas, they sure don't pay.

So Dave bro't [brought] his bride to call on you, my you ought to feel quite elated. Seems to me it will be quite a change for the little girls, when they've had a chance for a good school. Isn't the youngest one's birthday to-day? Well he can raise all three of his girls together.

You asked what it meant to leave Marlin's pad, don't know unless it's a sign of lots of moisture. [???] Never missed it at all. Use it if you can. As long as I didn't leave a diaper you'll have to forgive me.

Well I must sign off or you'll wish I'd never write again. Do wish your stomach wouldn't bother so much, I can sympathise with you.

Hope all are well now, we are all alright.
Love from all to all
Mattie

Mattie and Otis came to live in Brea, CA in 1935. She was a member of the Brea Christian Church, and kept an active interest in the Church and its activities throughout a prolonged illness.

The postmortem examination of Mattie disclosed the cause of her death to be:

1. Rheumatoid arthritis, severe, involving cervical and thoracic spine, right
and left upper extremities and lower extremities.
2. Probable visceral rheumatoid disease.
3. Arteriosclerosis, generalized, with particular involvement of aorta,
coronary and renal arteries.

Mattie died somewhat unexpectedly as the family gathered for a reunion at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Don Lacy in Brea, CA.

Potpourri - Mattie and her children spent the week with her parents while Otis and his father attended "Potato Day" in Carbondale, CO on Saturday, Sep 1, 1917.

Otis and Mattie's children were Phyllis Marie, Albert Marlin, Clayton Kent, Mary Margie, Lloyd Raymond, and Gene Ernest.

Mattie married Otis Albert Mallory, son of Frederick Walter Mallory and Anna Miles, on 26 Jul 1914 in Rifle, Garfield County, Colorado. (Otis Albert Mallory was born on 26 Jul 1886 in Willis Gulch, Gilpin County, Colorado,^{1 2} died on 24 Oct 1949 in Glenwood Springs, Garfield County, Colorado ^{1 2} and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Rifle, Garfield County, Colorado ^{1 3}.)