LYDIA ANN (JOHNSON) DIR , daughter of Win. and Loretta Johnson, was born in Rutland, Vermont, May 15,1846, and passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Henry Thome, on the Rock Falls-Dixon road on Feb. 15th, 1923, of cancer of the stomach at the age of 75 years and 9 months. At the age of nine, she came with her parents to Illinois and settled in Hahnaman Twp, Whiteside County, which has been her home ever since, with the exception of brief intervals spent with her children in the western states in the later years of her life. On Dec. 12th, 1865, she was married to Geo. W. Dir, of Tampico, 111, and settled on a farm near Deer Grove, where the entire family of 13 children were born and raised , two of whom with the father, have passed on before. The children, in order of their birth are: Mrs. Minnie Gettle of Manly, IA; Geo W. deceased; Mrs. Henry Thome of Rock Falls; Mrs. Belle Hubbard, deceased; Edson M. of Deer Grove; Mrs. Lenora Brown of Rock Falls; Mrs. Daisy Montgomery of Walnut; Mrs. Ellen Pfulb of Osceola, IA; Arthur L. of Glenrock, Wyoming; Mrs. Amelia Bell of Spirit Lake, IA; Mrs. Hattic Smith of Dawson, MN; Mrs. Cassie Wood of Dawson, MN; and Rose M. of Chicago. She leaves behind, besides the 11 children, 46 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren; a sister Mrs. A. A. Thome and brother, Thomas of Rock Falls; and another brother James, of Geneva, Nebraska. Sister Dir placed her membership with the Rock Falls Christian Church March 7,1912. She was a faithful member and was much interested in the work of the church and was always ready to do anything she could for her church, (rest cut off) Sterling Gazette - 15 Feb 1923 - submitted by Suanne Nesland Mrs. Lydia A. Dir passed away on Wednesday evening at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Henry Thome, one mile southeast of Rock Falls, after an illness extending over a period of more than a year from cancer of the stomach. Mrs. Frank Brown of east of Rock Falls is a daughter and Mrs. Tony Thome of Rock Falls is a sister of the decedent. Funeral services will be held from the Thome home at 1 o'clock Friday afternoon and burial will be made in the Tampico Cemetery Sterling Gazette - Feb 1923