Obituary

Captain E.W. Dyer
Captain E.W. Dyer died, at the home of Mr. J.H. Slaton, June 3rd, 1918 and was buried from the Baptist Church at 5 p.m., attended by a throng of people.
Captain Dyer was born in Cherokee County, Georgia, August 16th, 1839, and was, a the time of death, almost 79 years of age. He enlisted in the Confederate Army, from Baylor University, in January of 1862, and served with honor until discharged, May 1st, 1865, at Hempstead, Texas. The most important battles in which he was engaged were Mansfield, Pleasant Hill and Jenkins Ferry. He married Miss Emma Eugenia Rutherford December 27th , 1865who survives him. He had a family of six children, three daughters and three sons, five of whom were at his bedside when he died. The living children are Mrs. R.B.C. Howell, Mrs. J.H. Slaton, Frank Dyer, Edwin Eugene Dyer and John Dyer.
Captain Dyer professed religion and joined the Baptist Church at Hillsboro, Texas, being a charter member of that church. He was also a charter member later of the Towash Church, in Hill County, and still later joined the Baptist Church of Breckenridge, in which church he was made a deacon under the ministry of his uncle, who was pastor. He moved to the Plains in 1892, and united with the Plainview Baptist Church, serving both as deacon and Sunday School superintendent during the ministry of Doctor Kimbrough, T.A. Moore and T.P. Speakman. He was a member and a deacon in the church here when he died.
Captain Dyer was a very strong and a very active man all his life. He was a man of tremendously strong convictions. You never had to guess where he stood on all religious and moral questions. He was faithful in his attendance upon all church services and loyal to the pastor and the church, especially to the one who writes these words. He died the death of the righteous. In all my life I never witness stronger faith as he neared the end. He called his children and grandchildren around his bed, and the pastor and grandchildren sang his favorite hymns and read his favorite verses and prayed. He talked calmly and yet heroically of his faith in God, quoting his favorite verse, ?I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.? He asked all to meet him in heaven. I was deeply impressed by his last message, as it will help me to preach better all my days. ?Let me die the death of the righteous; let my last end be like his.? I preached his funeral from the text ?Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.?
Truly a great and good man has gone. He served his generation well by the will of God. He eft a faithful wife and a devoted family. It was blessed to note how they loved him. The grandchildren loved him as well as the children. The sons-in-law held him in high esteem and wept like children at his funeral. I never attended a funeral that impressed me more. Everything was beautiful and inspiring. The male quartet sang four or five great hymns, stirring our souls to the depths. The floral offering was beautiful and large. The grave was lined from top to bottom with roses, and as his body was being lowered the wife of 53 years said: ?The grave does not look so sad and gloomy amid the fragrant flowers. Good-bye, sweetheart, I will meet you soon.?
As his pastor, I commend his life to all. His life was a great sermon. He wrote his epitaph while living. His record is made. His influence abides. His soul rests well. He is through with sin, pain and sorrow. He has finished the school of life, with its discipline. Discontent and unrest are at an end. His vision is clear, for he is done with the myteries and problems of life which vex us. His is now in the land without limitations, and all his faculties are keenly alive to all the enjoyments and privileges of heavenly citizenship.
Do not grieve after him. Live as he lived, and join him in the land of light and love and immortality. ? I.E. Gates (Hale County Herald, June 7, 1918)