Leesburg Commercial, Friday, December 21, 1923.
Picture courtesy of GFAHS@aol.com
IN MEMORIAM
"So his life has flow'd
From its mysterious urn a sacred stream
In whose calm depth, the beautiful and pure
Alone are mirrored, which though shapes of ill
May hover round its surface, glides in light
And takes no shadow from."
-- Talford.
The storm sometimes seeks out the tallest pine. That, which
we in our blindness call death sometimes seeks out the tallest sun-
crowned man. It came in on the bosom of the night wind last Friday
night at 6:33 o'clock beckoned and took with it through the sunset
seas, the soul of our dearly beloved brother, Rev. W. H. Fahs into
the Palm Tree country of Greater Opportunity.
Bryant says that:
"Death should come
Gently to one of gentle mould like thee,
As light winds, wandering through groves of bloom
Detach the delicate blossoms from the tree,
Close thy eyes calmly and without pain;
And we will trust in God to see thee yet again."
And so the angel of the Shadows came to him! Without pain or
struggle, this mighty man among us was carried on, carried on to
where his untiring soul will find greater problems to be solved and
greater work to do. It is hard to realize that he, whom we loved
so well, is no longer with us, that in his prime, he should be
called from the finite into the infinite. Yet, we who knew him
best and who are prone to look far down the Halls of Destiny
realize that Almighty God who fashions men and the work they are
to do, had a greater place for this man in a wider sphere than
mortality could offer and therefore called him in the early
afternoon of a shining, useful, life. We, who knew him and loved
him, can but grieve for the vacant place he has left in our mortal
sphere of action -- for we know that with him all is well and we
realize with Parnell that
"Death's but a path that must be trod
If man must ever pass to God."
Reverend W. H. Fahs was born in Bainbridge, Pennsylvania, on
January 3, 1865. He received a classical education and later was
graduated from a Theological Seminary and was ordained as a
Lutheran minister. For years he served his Master, his church and
his people -- unselfishly, untiringly and successfully in the State
of his birth.
In 1915, he purchased land near Fruitland Park, on which he
had developed an orange grove, said to be one of the finest in the
State. Later, with his family, he moved to Leesburg and engaged
in busness. But business could not satisfy that great heart of his
which ever throbbed for opportunities for service. Therefore, when
the Presbyterian church of Leesburg, realizing his power and his
worth called him to accept its pastorate, he sold his business and
again became a shepherd to a loving flock. His duties as pastor
were arduous but he found time to start and successfully complete
the project of beautifully remodeling the Presbyterian church, to
become one of the most active and dynamic influences in planning
and building Leesburg's Masonic Temple, to guide as president, the
successful activities of the Leesburg Chamber of Commerce and to
become one of the most enthusiastic Masonic workers in Lake County.
A few days before his death, his Masonic brothers recognized his
work by choosing him as Master of the Lodge -- an office which he
did not live to fill.
In addition to his other activities, Rev. Fahs was an active
member of the Kiwanis Club and of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. Wherever he lived and in whatever endeavor he found
himself interested, he was an active power for good and for
progress. Pennsylvania, his native State, has many magnificent new
churches which owe their origin and completion to his untiring and
inspirational work. In Leesburg, he has been a power.
Comparatively a new comer, he has made his influence felt, not only
in Leesburg but throughout Lake County, having been a director in
the Lake County Chamber of Commerce. He loved men; men loved him,
and by him were inspired to do their best for their Master, their
community and their brothers.
Looking back at the service this man rendered and in spite of
the vacant place that he has left, we feel that his influence will
continue, and speedily bring better things for Leesburg and
vicinity.
With Miss Landon, we wonder -- "Can that man be dead
Whose spiritual influence is upon his kind.
He lives in glory; and his speaking dust
Has more of life than half its breathing moulds."
The broken urn of clay is crumbled. It had become too small
to hold the virile-growing spirit of this mighty man of love and
deeds, so that great spirit took its flight on the wings of the
night wind and yet its influence is as living today as when it
manifested itself through mortality's imperfect clay.
Rev. Fahs had heen a faithful husband and father. He left to
morn his passing his wife, Mrs. Ida L. Fahs, his daughter, Mrs.
Chas. G. Aurand of Wheeling, W. Va., and his son, John, who is
attending the University of Florida at Gainesville -- in addition
to these, he left a legion of those, who, while not, relatives,
were close to him, loved him and sorrow for his loss. I can only
say to them the things that are singing in my heart concerning him.
For him, I have no grief. For myself, I have much sorrow at the
loss his passing gave me. To me, there is no death for such men
as "Papa" Fahs, as I was wont to call him -- I who loved him as a
brother. There is but a pause at the swinging gates of greater
destinies -- a sleep, perhaps, though a night of transition in
which the shining soul sheds its tattered garments of mortality and
dons the Royal Purple of Immortality. I hope that Rev. Fahs is
with his family and with his friends today as he is with me in
spirit and in truth. I can see his friendly smile, feel his grasp
of encouragement. I can, by looking far, see his glowing soul
marching on and on through the dew-wet dawn of unlimitation,
finding greater things to do and doing them with the smile, with
the courage and with the inspiration that he has had on earth, but
magnified many, many fold.
W. A. McKenzie
=========================================================================
Unknown newspaper
REV. WM. H. FAHS DIED IN FLORIDA
Lutheran Minister Born and Raised in Bainbridge.
WAS WELL KNOWN
Rev. Fahs Served Pastorates at Mifflintown, Tyrone and Milton. Was
Compelled To Stop Preaching For Awhile On Account of A Throat
Affliction And Was In Flower and Feed Business. Survived By Wife,
Son And Daughter. Funeral At Leesburg, Florida.
Rev. William H. Fahs, aged 58 years, a Lutheran minister, died
at Leesburg, Florida, Wednesday evening at 7:30 o'clock of apoplexy
of the heart. He was compelled to stop preaching on account of
that affliction. Rev. Fahs has been a resident of Leesburg the
past ten years, and for quite some time conducted a wholesale and
retail flour, feed and grocery business in that town. Later he
sold out and entered the ministry again, having a charge in
Leesburg. At the present time he was in charge of the building of
a church there.
Rev. Fahs was a son of the late John and Amanda Fahs, and was
born and raised in Bainbridge, Pa. He was educated by Gettysburg
College and Seminary. During his ministry he filled pastorates at
Mifflintown, Tyrone and Milton. He is well known in this section,
having visited quite frequently in Middletown, Highspire and
Mechanicsburg.
At one time he was employed by the Florida Fruit Growers
Association and was the owner of a twenty acre orange grove.
He was married to a daughter of the late Rev. L. M. Nicholas
of West Fairview, who together with a son, John, a student at
Gainesville College, Florida, and a daughter, wife of Rev. Charles
Aurand, of Wheeling, West Virginia, survive. Four brothers, Luther
Fahs, Bainbridge; Charles Fahs, near Hoernerstown; Edward Fahs, of
Mt. Joy and George Fahs of Philadelphia, and four sisters, Mrs. Ida
Brown, Philadelphia; Mrs. Simon G. Will, Highspire; Mrs. Harry
Melchoir, ...; and Miss Mabel Fahs, at ... Bainbridge; a step-
mother, ... Fahs, in Bainbridge and ... Charles Aurand, Jr.
Funeral services will be held ... ...noon at Leesburg, and ...
be made in that ...
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