Mary Madeline Parker

Dec 12, 1913 - Feb 2, 1934

Word was received here by relatives Friday evening that Mary Madeline PARKER, 20, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dolph PARKER of South Bend, had met death by drowning. No details were obtainable here and there was no confirmation of the death received by The News- Sentinel up to noon today. Both Mr. and Mrs. PARKER were former residents of Rochester, she being Maude STEEN before her marriage. Relatives of the girl living in Rochester are William PARKER, grandfather, Russell PARKER, uncle, Clyde STEEN, uncle and Mrs. Ike EMMONS an aunt.

Published in the Rochester(IN) News-Sentinel, Saturday, February 3, 1934
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Funeral services for Mary Madeline PARKER, 20, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dolph PARKER, will be held at their home in South Bend Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. The body will be taken to Chicago for cremation after the ceremony as requested by the girl in a letter left to her parents. Both Mr. and Mrs. Parker were former residents of Rochester and the deceased had a number of relatives in Rochester.

Miss Parker who was of very studious nature and who had been in ill health leaped to her death from the Grand Trunk railway bridge into the St. Joseph river Friday afternoon. She deposited her hat, coat, gloves, shoes and galoshes along with a letter to her parents on the bridge. Several persons saw her preparing to leap but none were able to reach her. Her body was recovered Saturday noon about fifty feet from where it was last seen. In her latter, Miss Parker said she preferred to die rather than live and suffer. Her parents said she had never given any intimation of committing suicide.

The deceased was born in Rochester December 12, 1912 and attended Central High School at South Bend.

Survivors are her parents, a sister, Catherine [PARKER], her grandfather, William PARKER of Rochester and other relatives.

Published in the Rochester(IN) News-Sentinel, Monday, February 5, 1934

Sources: Ancestry.com and FindAGrave.com

09/18/2026 EJS