June 25, 2011, we joined in a celebration of the life of Beatrice Mildred Tryon at her memorial service in Philadelphia, NY.
During the service, June Tryon, daughter-in-law of Bea, read a newspaper clipping that was found among Bea’s household items after her passing. Nobody is sure why she cut this out and saved it. But in discussions following the service, it was clearly the consensus of those attending that the clipping was a remarkable representation of Bea’s life and character. The words, by an anonymous author, appeared several times in the syndicated newspaper column by Ann Landers and was probably how Bea happened to discover it. The clipping said:
Lord, thou knowest that I am growing older.
Keep me from becoming too talkative, and particularly keep me from falling into the tiresome habit of expressing an opinion on every subject.
Release me from the craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs.
Give me grace, dear Lord, to listen to others describe their aches and pains.
Help me endure the boredom with patience and keep my lips sealed, for my own aches and pains are increasing in number and intensity.
Teach me the glorious lesson that, occasionally, I might be mistaken.
Keep me reasonably sweet. I do not wish to be a saint. (Saints are so hard to live with), but a sour old person is the work of the devil.
Make me thoughtful but not moody. Helpful, but not pushy. Independent, yet able to accept the gracious favors that others wish to bestow on me.
Free me of the notion that simply because I have lived a long time, I am wiser than those who have not lived so long.
If I do not approve of some of the changes that have taken place in recent years, give me the wisdom to keep my mouth shut.
Lord knows that when the end comes, I would like to have a friend or two left.
Beatrice Mildred (Hanson) Tryon — Obituary
February 21, 2011
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — Beatrice M. Tryon, 93, of Washington Street, and
formerly of Philadelphia, died Sunday, Feb. 20, at Samaritan Medical
Center.
Born Nov. 21, 1917, in the town of Lorraine, N.Y., the daughter of Arthur and Lottie Haggerty Hanson, she attended local schools.
She married Merrill V. Tryon on Dec. 11, 1935, at the Methodist Church parsonage in Dexter with Rev. Paul A. Roy officiating. Mr. Tryon died Dec. 4, 2000.
Mrs. Tryon was employed as a housekeeper for people who raised Pekinese dogs, worked at Olga Knitting Mill, Watertown and worked on the family farm.
She was a member of the Philadelphia United Methodist Church, serving in many offices, including Chairman of the Church Council, Philadelphia Grange, Rebekah Lodge #584 for over 50 years, Home Bureau and was a 4-H club leader.
Mrs. Tryon enjoyed sewing, quilting and kept a daily diary for over 70 years.
Survivors include two sons and a daughter-in-law, Vernon and June, Oswego, and James, Adams; five grandchildren, Steven Tryon, Mexico, Daniel Tryon, Oswego, Jolie McGowen, N.C., Jill LaGrange, Rochester, and Joel Tryon, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Two brothers, Kenneth and Donald, died before her.
A funeral at the Philadelphia United Methodist Church will be in the spring. Burial will follow in Sanford Corners Cemetery, Calcium.
Arrangements are with Frederick Bros. Funeral Home, Inc., Theresa.
Donations may be made to the Association For the Blind and Visually Impaired of Jefferson County, 321 Prospect Street, Watertown, NY, 13601.