MRS. THOMAS J. BOLUS

My heartfelt sympathy goes out to you all in your deep sorrow and, while only God can comfort you, I want to say how deeply and tenderly I feel for all of you. May the Lord com fort and strengthen you in your dark hour of sadness.

CAPT. AND MRS. FRED H. BRENNECKE

Kindly accept from us our most sincere sympathy in the loss of your son Paul, who gave his life in France for his country.

How eagerly we always looked in the Courier for his letters to you, and always read them carefully; and how we hoped that he would get back home safe.

We unfortunately have no sons of our own, but we can assure you that our hearts have gone out to our boys over there as much as any one, and hoped that your boys would return home safely; but in Paul's case it could not be.

HON. A. V. BURGH

It is with deep regret that I have learned of the death of your son, who, I am told, was a very splendid and brilliant young man, with a most promising future, and I assure you that you have my deep sympathy in your great sorrow.

However, I am sure that mingled with your sorrow is a feeling of pride, when you think that you have given your all for the great cause of Freedom and World Democracy, and unquestionably you find much comfort in this thought. You may rest assured that this entire community is very proud of this supreme sacrifice which was so nobly made by your son, and his name will ever be in the memory of all, as one of our heroes.

SENATOR WILLIAM B. CARLETON

From the bottom of my heart I sympathize with you in the death of your brave and gallant son, Paul, news of whose passing over you have just received. How feeble words are in a case like this, and I realize how absolutely impossible it is for you to believe in this sad hour that everything is for the best in this world. But you will, I am sure, find solace and encouragement in the days and years to come that your son was not afraid to fight for his country and was not afraid to die for his native land, and I am sure when he fell it was in the full discharge of his duty; and that, I believe, you would prefer by all means to his having remained at home and to have had the world forever call him "slacker." Such men, such as your dear son, have given this world the freedom that we enjoy today and "in every age the bravest and best have ever given up their lives in defense of the right."

At this time may the "God of battles and of peace" sustain you, and may sweet memories of your departed boy ever linger with you and sooth your crushed and bleeding hearts, is my wish.

MR. WILLIAM E. CLARKE

I cannot help saying to you that my heart goes in the very deepest sympathy to you and your family at this time over the passing of your dear boy. Your friends and neighbors feel proud of the record he made in the service of his country, and have anxiously watched for tidings of his safety. I am well aware that mere words seem meaningless at this time, but as one who has suffered in like manner I have, Oh! so much sympathy for you today. May the good Lord comfort you and your loved ones at this time. I remain your friend.

MR. GEORGE S. CLIFFORD

I want you to know that my heart goes out in sympathy to you and yours in this hour of great affliction.

May time lessen the poignancy of your grief, as it increases the very just pride you may feel in the memory of the heroism of your brave son.

MR. LOUIS A. DAUS

It was with the deepest regret that I heard of the death of your son Paul while doing his duty on the field of battle in France. As president of the Columbian Literary Circle I wish to express to your family, your wife and yourself the heartfelt sympathy of all the members of the circle.

Personally Mrs. Daus and I cannot express in words how deeply this bereavement touches us, but can only say that your consolation should be that your son always did his duty as he saw it, and the remembrance of that should ever be a bright spot in your memory of him.

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HENRY C. DICKMAN AND FAMILY

In these hours of your great bereavement, accept our very sincere sympathy.

Our acquaintance with Lieut. Paul Funkhouser dates back to the time he started to Trinity Sunday School with son Raymond, and as a boy and young man he was always considerate and courteous - at any time genial and well met. We all are very proud of Paul and his record.

In a letter from France, dated the eighth, son Ray wrote, "I would like to see Lieut. Funkhouser over here; you know, mother, Paul is some boy and will make a good officer." Raymond will sure be sad when I mail him the clippings.

Lieut. Funkhouser fought and died for dear Old Glory - and not in vain.

May time soften your grief, is our sincere wish.

WILBUR ERSKINE, ESQ.

It was with deep regret that I read of the death of your son in France.

I was particularly interested in the return of your boys to you, as you have taken such splendid interest in the welfare of our country and the boys so willingly went early in the struggle, but alas! your boy has shared the fate that has come to so many.

I fear a good many of the boys that we expect to see will never come and will appear on the list of casualties when the entire list comes in. These boys look to me greater than President Wilson or any other living man.

Death is the last chapter in life, and the closing of one's existence with the sacrifice of a life for such a country as this and the generations that are to come is the greatest honor that the world can bestow on any man, and his name and memory will be very precious to us all.
I extend to you and Mrs. Funkhouser and family my heart felt sympathy in this terrible loss and may our Heavenly Father sustain and comfort you in this, the greatest loss you have ever had to bear.

MR. P. J. EULER

The report of Paul's death was a shock to my home last night. We were all looking forward to the day when we could see him, being so proud of his record in the service. My family suffer this loss with you and appreciate your grief to the fullest extent, having a good, dear boy ourselves whom we love just as you love Paul.

I trust the good Lord will comfort you with the thought that you have reared an honorable son whose record the world can refer to with pride.

DR. WILLIAM F. EPMEIER

With a sad heart, I extend my sympathy.

DR. AND MRS. JOHN E. FETZER

Please accept our sympathy in the death of your worthy son Paul. He gave his life for all; therefore, we desire you to know that we mourn with you.

MR. SAMUEL B. FISHER

I see by this morning's Courier that Paul was killed in France.

I am very sorry, indeed, to learn of his death, and wish to extend my sincere sympathy to you.

MISS ELOISE GEUPEL

The news of your deep sorrow came as a dreadful shock and fills me with unbounded grief and dismay. What can I do or what can I say, my dear friends, to lighten your hearts?

There must be some consolation in knowing that Paul gave his life for such a wonderful cause and gave it bravely and willingly. Again, is there anything I can do?

With the assurance of my deepest sympathy and warm affection, believe me as ever your devoted friend.

MR. FRANK C. GORE

"Promoted to glory."

These beautifully significant words of the Salvation Army were the first which came to me when I heard the sad news of Paul.

And yet how much better that he should go as he did, fighting his country's and humanity's battles than to have succumbed to some dread camp disease.

Great, big, honest, clean-souled boy that he was; my house hold loved him and mourns with you.

My heart is too full for more - ;may the glory of his pro motion and the love of his high Commander comfort you all.

MR. LUTHER GOWAN

When I picked up this morning's Courier and read an account of your son's death I imagined my own feelings had it been my own boy who is now serving in the Navy.

My heart goes out to you and your family in this, your hour of sorrow, and I wish it were possible for me to do something to stay your grief.

I often wonder if the time will ever come when we will look upon the death of loved ones with the same complacency we do of their birth. Death is just as much a function of our nature as that of our birth; yet the joy of the latter is far from the sorrow of the former.

We must be brave to meet conditions as your son was brave and go where duty calls.

You have our sympathy and we share your sorrow.

THE GREATHOUSE FAMILY

We are at a loss for words to express our sympathy for you in the loss of your noble boy. We had so hoped that both boys would be spared to you safe and sound, but the Lord knows best, and we hope He will comfort you in His own good way for your great loss.

LIEUT. L. R. HALVERSON, I. S. M.

It was with a feeling of very great sorrow that I heard the report of the death of your son Paul who fell in line of duty. You are to be congratulated on having such a son. We who have no sons or brothers in service cannot feel so deeply as you what it means to hear such news.

My brother, you have my most sincere sympathy in this, your very great sorrow and bereavement. I have no words to adequately express my feelings at this time. May the thought of duty well and cheerfully done help in a measure to alleviate the sorrow you feel over your son's departure. In your sorrow you and Mrs. Funkhouser are entitled to the thanks of our country and the world for what your sons have done to make this world a safe place to live in. Know that this community grieves and is sad, and deeply sympathizes with you.

MR. AND MRS. FRANK H. HATFIELD

With no thought of being able to assuage the grief and sorrow which has just come to you, let us express our sympathy at this dark hour and also our congratulations for the fine recompense which must be yours in the years to come from the thought of your brave boy's brave death in so noble a cause.

HON. AND MRS. GEO. D. HEILMAN

Mrs. Heilman joins me in extending to you our heartfelt sympathy in the loss of your dear boy.

There should be some consolation to both of you when you consider the cause for which he so bravely gave up his life. He was a young man who was beloved by his friends and acquaintances, and his memory will long be cherished by his many friends,

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MR. JOSEPH T. HILL, JR.

Please accept the deepest sympathy of myself and family in this, the saddest hour of your lives.

We have felt deeply the death of your noble son and I am free to confess that the tears welled to my eyes when I read the paper yesterday morning and realized all that the news meant to you and to Paul's friends.

To lay down one's life in the defense of his country is, indeed, a most noble sacrifice, but to give it so willingly for the future peace and security of those of other nations as well as our own makes that sacrifice superb.

But that supreme sacrifice wherein the mother and the father give that life so dear to them, for the good of fellowmen, creates for them an exalted position. May God reward you well; we mortals cannot.

It is surely some consolation to you to know that a clean son has made a gallant soldier and has had the privilege of dying on the Field of Honor.

It remains for me to hope that you will soon have some good news from Albert.

MR. RICHARD E. KEMPER

Mrs Kemper, Ruth and I extend our deepest sympathy in the great oss you have sustained. We have not seen your sons a great deal during the last few years, but we remember them as boys and know you have every reason to be proud of them.

I am sure Paul was a fine soldier and splendid officer, and, of course, he could not have given up his life for a greater cause. "Our boys" saved the day for us and for humanity, including generations to come.

I am particularly impressed and grieved in the loss of one of your sons when I know how patriotic and loyal you have been from the beginning in the support of our magnificent government and the great issues involved. We trust your grief will, in a measure, be assuaged when you reflect upon the many blessings that have come to your family, that we must be governed by an Omnipotent Power over which we have no control.

Kindest regards and sympathy to all of the family.

MR. LOUIS H. KRAMER

This is sent in appreciation of the sacrifice made by Paul for me and mine, and in sympathy with his parents who love him.

I feel this loss as if it were one of my own family, and am only sorry I cannot express my feelings as I would like to.

You can feel proud of such a boy who willingly made such a sacrifice to the cause of humanity and the bettering of the world at large.

MR. AND MRS. GEORGE LINDSAY AND DAUGHTER

We wish to express to you and your family our deepest sympathy in your recent bereavement. Although we are not intimately acquainted, our feelings go out to you at this time. We, like so many others, enjoyed reading your son's letters in the newspapers.

We know that you have learned to trust our Heavenly Father more and more during these months of anxiety and we pray that He may more abundantly bless and sustain you now.