Notes:
Sterling Gazette - date unknown but 4/6/37 written on the obit
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MRS. W.T. BURDICK IS BURIED FRIDAY IN ROCK FALLS
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Burial Services Are Held In Funeral Home - Many In Attendance
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Funeral rites for Mrs. Warren T. Burdick were held from the Wheelock funeral home in Rock Falls at 2 Friday afternoon. Rev. Wilhelm Streng brought consolation in his his address on First Corinthians 13:12. Mrs. Evenly Hansen of Dixon sang 'In the garden', accompanied by Mrs.Herman Oltman of Rock Falls. The floral offerings were very very beautiful.
Pall bearers were John Oltman, W. J. Sowles, Charles Johnson, Arthur Lamb, D. B. Sisson and Lowell Lewis. Interment took place in the Rock Falls cemetery.
Sketch of life
Maude Elizabeth Mumma was born as the second child of John H. and Augusta E. Palmer Mumma on December 25,1870, at Pine Creek, Ogle county, Illinois. She enjoyed a normal childhood and lived on the farm until she was united with Warren T. Burdick of Rock Falls on September 3, 1896 at Oak Ridge, Illinois. Two children were born to this union.
For 38 years the decedent had lived in this vicinity with her husband. Since 1907, she had been a member of the Rock Falls Woman's Relief Corps, which she served two years as treasurer. Of a rather quiet nature she served her family with love and devotion all through the years. Though her health was never very strong, she was able to follow her work as wife and mother day after day.
A serious operation during January of 1928 left Mrs. Burdick considerably weaker an since then whenever fully recovered. On March 29 last, she was taken ill with influenza and pleurisy with developed into pneumonia. Last Sunday she was removed to the Sterling public hospital where she passed way peacefully Wednesday morning, April 7, at 5:55 a.m. She had reached the age of 66 years, three months and 12 days.
Mrs. Burdick leaves to mourn her departure he sorrowing husband, her children, Rita, wife of Myron Atkins of Dixon, and Mabel, wife of Carl Buchwald, at home also two grandsons, Winston Louis Atkins and Palmer Dean Buchwald, and two brothers, Elmer A. Mumma of St. Charles and Walter H. Mumma of Oregon. She is also survived by four nephews and four nieces. One sister, Mrs Lulu Pyfer of Dixon preceded her in death in 1929. Having spent four decades in this vicinity her departure is mourned by many friends.
[Note: The following interesting article was sent to me by Becky Burdick McLauglin. It was published in the 15 Aug 1929 edition of the Sterling Daily Gazette - Illinois]
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"Piece of Meteor is Curiosity at Burdick Home Plowed up in Early 1860's on Farm of Mrs. Burdick's Father at Grand Detour.
What is generally believed to be a piece of a meteor or falling star is the object of curiosity in the pretty front yard of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Burdick, 814 West Second Street, Rock Falls, Illinois and has attracted the attention of quite a few, especially since the notable falling star of two weeks ago, visible to many here. The meteoric rock has quite a history. It was plowed up in a hilly field on the family farm of J. H. Mumma, four miles north of Grand Detour, some time in the 1860s, so far as can be remembered by Mrs. Burdick, who had heard her father, Mr. Mumma tell of it. Mr. Mumma was born on the farm in 1846 and spent his life there. Originally the farm home was a log house, but later a new house was built. Following this the Mumma family had the rock hauled to the yard and there it was a home curiosity all the years. Last June Mrs. Burdick had the rock brought to the family home in Rock Falls. It was no small job handling the peculiar thing. Four strong men had all they could do to handle it. Now the meteor occupies a commanding position near the concrete lily pool of the Burdick yard. This fragment of falling star, and weighing possibly 500 to 600 pounds, stands about 40 inches high. It is almost pyramid shape. Some called it the 'big cinder' on account of its porous-like appearance. The stone is of a grayish color, similar to that of sun bleached bones of a large skeleton. There are numerous holes throughout the surfaces of the stone, being about three-fourths of an inch in diameter, as perfect as if bored with a drill auger. In feeling, the surface of the stone is somewhat like pumice in its effect. Even greasy fingers rubbed on the stone result in a thorough cleaning, leaving the skin clean and smooth. This stone is unlike any other kind ever seen, also its peculiar shape and structure is taken to indicate the genuineness of its meteoric character. It is one of a very few specimens to be found. Possibly it has never been seen by experts on such a subject, but probably will be, it is thought. Hunts for more stones like it on the old Mumma farm failed to reveal any other rock like it. The land is hilly and rocky but the only other stones which abound are the so called, '……heads'. These are entirely foreign in character to the meteoric stone Mrs Burdick owns. Just when this fragment of 500 pounds fell from the heavens is not known by anyone now living, but Mrs Burdick said she used to hear her father and hisneighbors tell of it. Their idea was the stone fell during a shower early in the nineteenth century, possibly during the one in 1833. Mr. Mumma used to play with the other boys around this strange rock in 1859."