CAROLINE COREL

  Caroline Vogt was born May 15, 1831, in Alsace, near Strasbourg, Germany, and passed to her reward on Sunday evening, October 15, 1922, aged 91 years and 5 months.

  She was next to the youngest of a family of eleven children, all of whom have preceded her in death.  She came to this vicinity when eleven years old, which was 80 years ago last July.  Three years after arriving here and while living out east of Naperville across the road from where the present Corel homes are, her mother was killed by a cyclone.  Two years later (1847) her
father was drowned while returning from Naperville on a stormy night.  He lost his way and blinded by the storm walked into a pond.  When she was only 14 years old she went to Chicago to work and was thrown on her own resources.

  On February 8, 1853, at the age of 22, she married Jacob Corel.  To this union was born nine children.  Mrs. Corel was a real pioneer in the true sense of the word.  When she came to this vicinity Chicago was a mere village, with State Street a mud road.  Naperville had no church at that time, so for several years she had no church advantages, though she was raised in the German Lutheran faith and for many years was faithful to that church.

  Three things stand out prominently in her life.  First, her love for The Book.  It was her request that the Bible she bought when she went to Chicago to work at the age of fourteen should be buried with her in her casket. Second, was her dependence on prayer.  She prayed everyday.  She prayed out loud almost always.  "I remember how she told me this little incident when
I was visiting with her one day about a year ago" said Rev. Putnam.  "I came home and wrote it down as she gave it to me.  She said 'I'm going to tell you something, but you mustn't tell anyone' for said she 'folks make fun of you when you tell them anything like this, but I know you won't'" Continuing she said "I was alone and was thinking about father being drowned and mother being killed and about all the trouble we've had and I got to crying, and then I saw Jesus on the Cross just as plain as could be"  She then touched the pastor's hand and said, "Wasn't that an indication that I was not alone, but Jesus was here to help?"  How beautiful.  It's wonderful to be able to pray so effectively that Jesus becomes as real at that.

  The third conspicuous thing about her was her love for sacred song.  For several years she couldn't sing, but even recently she would try.  She used to sing by the hour.  Anyone who loves sacred music knows how to pray so that it means so much to them that they feel they cannot miss a single day and who loved the Bible and read it as she did before she lost her sight, has the
qualities that make angels rejoice.

  For twenty years past her daughter, Miss Ida Corel has lived with her and has ministered to her every need.  It is fitting here to say that such service and devotion will have its reward.

  Grandma Corel leaves to mourn her loss in the immediate family three sons, Philip, William and George, all of Naperville; three daughters, Mrs. Rufus Netzley and Miss Ida Corel of Naperville, and Mrs. B.W. Hughes of Aurora. In addition she leaves 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grand children.

  "From this bleak hill of storms, To yon warm sunny heights, Where love forever shines.  Passover to thy rest, O Mother Corel! The rest, which is the rest of God, so well deserved by thee."

  Rev. C.H. Putnam conducted the funeral, and spoke from Tim. 4:7 - "I have fought a good fight" which text she selected for her funeral.

Submitted by Mike Johnston
 MJohns1752@aol.com