PREST, FALCONER, SMITH

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Tuesday, March 09, 2010 at 05:11:35 :

The Sausalito News
Saturday, August 25, 1917
Page 5

Motherly Woman Called

The death of Mrs. Wilhelmina Prest, a beloved resident of San Rafael for over twenty-nine years and one who while not blessed with children of her own, was a mother to many, was a very sudden shock to the community.

The funeral services were held in the Presbyterian church, San Rafael, Rev. Lynn White officiating. The church was crowded with people of all denominations. The remains were laid away in Mt. Tamalpais cemetery. The pall bearers were Ex-Supervisor Matt Pedrotti, Will P. Murray, cashier of the Bank of San Rafael, Joseph Drew, Mr. Stevenson and her two nephews, Lieut. Eric Falconer and Donald Falconer.

The deceased was a native of Dumbarton, Scotland, and had passed the half century mark. She inherited her high ideals and strong charitable nature from her parents, who always ranked very high in the hearts of their neighbors. She was a sincere and faithful member of the Presbyterian faith and took a very active part in the First Presbyterian church of San Rafael, always following out the teachings of the church and taking a very active part in practical charity.

In the neighborhood where she lived and for quite a radius around she was always a mother to many an unfortunate family, helping out physically, mentally and frequently financially as much as her means would afford.

She was a firm believer in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. She believed that the person who scatters flowers in the pathway of his fellowmen, who lets into the dark places of life the sunshine of human sympathy and human happiness, is following in the footsteps of his Master. Many a family, rich and poor, in San Rafael, can bear testimony to this. Many a poor child was made happy and helped along by her kind words and assistance.

She was the wife of John Prest, a very skilled carpenter, and a sister of Mrs. D. Falconer, C. E. Smith and the late George Smith who at the time of his death was superintendent of one of the largest ship building plants in the Orient. One of her nephews, Eric Falconer, successfully passed the examination at the Recruiting Officers Training Camp, and was commissioned a lieutenant; the other, Donald Falconer, is a prominent member of the Sausalito Yacht Club.