A Woman of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey
Authors: Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey
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building. Therefore, I am including a photo of my husband at the formal opening of the St. Louis office of the Midwestern Life Insurance Company, which was the reason for our move here. (I am the lady on the left, holding the roses.) I am also enclosing a recent portrait (which I fortunately requested for an anniversary present last year). Both of these photographs are copies, so please feel free to keep them permanently in your files. You may have further need of them in years to come when reference is made to my husband and his many outstanding accomplishments.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Alcott Steed
Enc.
ROBERT RANDOLPH STEED
Robert Randolph Steed, 29, prominent real-estate developer in Dallas and founder of the Midwestern Life Insurance Company, died last Thursday of influenza at his home in St. Louis.
He was born in 1890 in Honey Grove, Texas, the son of a prominent educator. In 1909 he married Elizabeth Alcott of Honey Grove and moved to Dallas. He made his name in real estate with the development of the Junius Heights area, and became a partner in the firm of Florence and Field.
In 1915 he was attracted to the growing field of life insurance and started his own company. His success in this new venture led to the opening of an office in St. Louis, and he moved there with his family in the fall of 1917.
He was area chairman of the Liberty Loan Campaign and traveled extensively over a five-state area on behalf of the war effort. He was personally commended by the Secretary of the Treasury for the success of his campaign.
He was a member of the Dallas Country Club and St. Matthewâs Episcopal Cathedral in Dallas, and in St. Louis served on the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce and belonged to Christ Church Cathedral.
Funeral services and burial took place in St. Louis last Friday. Mr. Steed is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Alcott Steed of St. Louis, and three children, Robert Randolph, 8; Andrew Alcott, 7; and Eleanor Elizabeth, 6; his mother, Jane Cantrice Steed, and a sister, Lydia Steed Shepherd of Dallas.
February 16, 1919
St. Louis
Dearest Papa and Mavis,
How I wish you were here with me, and yet what a comfort it is late at night to set down my thoughts in a letter to you.
The funeral service was magnificent and for a moment even I believed that death could be the triumphant conclusion to life. The cathedral was packed with people from all walks of life, many of whom were strangers to me. I suppose it comes as a shock to any wife to realize how little of her husbandâs life has actually been shared with her. He would have known everyone at my funeral. However, it was thrilling to see in what affection and respect he was held in this city. Though I am sure I would have loved him if all the world had been against himâand indeed at times might have welcomed the adversity that would have left us with only each otherâI am grateful to know so many share my loss.
After the service friends came to our home to pay their respects. Lydia and Mother Steed stayed upstairs with the children, not wanting to share their grief with strangers. But Manning offered to stay with me and I accepted gratefully. I also felt it was important for him to meet some of the men who had been so helpful to Rob when he first decided to open an office here.
I have always found it difficult to express my sympathy to anyone who has suffered a loss and I was afraid I would find it even more difficult to accept such expressions. But the alchemy of grief transforms the most awkward phrases into sentiments of purest gold, and I treasured every word of comfort offered.
Many of our friends brought food to the houseâand the dining table looked as if we were preparing for a banquet. It all seemed so festive I impulsively ordered the imported champagne we had been sent as a gift last Christmas by the Secretary of the Treasury to be put on ice and served to our guests. After all, the same efforts that earned the
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Alcott Steed
Enc.
ROBERT RANDOLPH STEED
Robert Randolph Steed, 29, prominent real-estate developer in Dallas and founder of the Midwestern Life Insurance Company, died last Thursday of influenza at his home in St. Louis.
He was born in 1890 in Honey Grove, Texas, the son of a prominent educator. In 1909 he married Elizabeth Alcott of Honey Grove and moved to Dallas. He made his name in real estate with the development of the Junius Heights area, and became a partner in the firm of Florence and Field.
In 1915 he was attracted to the growing field of life insurance and started his own company. His success in this new venture led to the opening of an office in St. Louis, and he moved there with his family in the fall of 1917.
He was area chairman of the Liberty Loan Campaign and traveled extensively over a five-state area on behalf of the war effort. He was personally commended by the Secretary of the Treasury for the success of his campaign.
He was a member of the Dallas Country Club and St. Matthewâs Episcopal Cathedral in Dallas, and in St. Louis served on the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce and belonged to Christ Church Cathedral.
Funeral services and burial took place in St. Louis last Friday. Mr. Steed is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Alcott Steed of St. Louis, and three children, Robert Randolph, 8; Andrew Alcott, 7; and Eleanor Elizabeth, 6; his mother, Jane Cantrice Steed, and a sister, Lydia Steed Shepherd of Dallas.
February 16, 1919
St. Louis
Dearest Papa and Mavis,
How I wish you were here with me, and yet what a comfort it is late at night to set down my thoughts in a letter to you.
The funeral service was magnificent and for a moment even I believed that death could be the triumphant conclusion to life. The cathedral was packed with people from all walks of life, many of whom were strangers to me. I suppose it comes as a shock to any wife to realize how little of her husbandâs life has actually been shared with her. He would have known everyone at my funeral. However, it was thrilling to see in what affection and respect he was held in this city. Though I am sure I would have loved him if all the world had been against himâand indeed at times might have welcomed the adversity that would have left us with only each otherâI am grateful to know so many share my loss.
After the service friends came to our home to pay their respects. Lydia and Mother Steed stayed upstairs with the children, not wanting to share their grief with strangers. But Manning offered to stay with me and I accepted gratefully. I also felt it was important for him to meet some of the men who had been so helpful to Rob when he first decided to open an office here.
I have always found it difficult to express my sympathy to anyone who has suffered a loss and I was afraid I would find it even more difficult to accept such expressions. But the alchemy of grief transforms the most awkward phrases into sentiments of purest gold, and I treasured every word of comfort offered.
Many of our friends brought food to the houseâand the dining table looked as if we were preparing for a banquet. It all seemed so festive I impulsively ordered the imported champagne we had been sent as a gift last Christmas by the Secretary of the Treasury to be put on ice and served to our guests. After all, the same efforts that earned the
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