Edward W. Withey died at his home No. 37 South College avenue yesterday afternoon. Death had been looked for at almost any hour for several days and it was known for many weeks that he could not live long. The patient sank from pain into eternal rest surrounded by his immediate family and relatives, brave and thoughtful for the comfort and consolation of his bereaved family, and those around him to the last. The immediate cause of death was a sarcomatous abdominal tumor. Only a few days, after Mr. And Mrs. Withey had last summer moved into their elegant new residence on College avenue Mr. Withey suffered from a severe attack of rheumatism, which developed during the fall into what appeared to be a severe, stubborn case of sciatica, and it was not until December that the tumor lying largely within the pelvis cavity where its pressure on the sciatic nerve caused symptoms identical with those of sciatic rheumatism, developed so as to be discovered. From that time the case was considered by the attending and consulting physicians a hopeless one and for many weeks the patient was fully aware of his condition. But waited for the end with a cheerfulness and patience that seemed to lighten the sorrows of the afflicted household. The end came shortly before 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon.

E.W. Withey, the second son of the late Judge Withey, was born in this city December 25, 1852, and was therefore in the 37th year of his age. He was graduated from the Grand Rapids High school in 1870 and from Michigan university in 1874. Immediately after graduation he entered the office of Hughes, O’Brien & Smiley and began the study of law. He was admitted to the bar in September, 1875, and in the spring of 1877 became a partner of Roger W. Butterfield. Wishing as he stated to the writer to stand or fall on his own merits and as a young man desiring to form habits of self-reliance and cultivate and develop an independent judgment this partnership was dissolved in 1880, since which time he has practiced his profession along and as attorney for the street railway company and other corporations he has always shown a power to grasp a cause in all its bearing, a care and attention to details, a fidelity to interests placed in his charge and an ability and capacity for business which bespoke form him a career of unusual success.

In 1883 Mr. Withey was united in marriage with Emma, only daughter of Mrs. Hawley Lyon and two children have blessed the happy union, a daughter aged 4 years and a son aged 4 months. A personal friend in speaking last evening of the general esteem in which Mr. Withey was held by his fellow citizens but portray the general sentiment when he said: “The death today of so remarkable a man as Edward W. Withey was in the full vigor of his mental faculties with every prospect of usefulness, has naturally created a profound shock throughout the entire city. He stood by common consent at the head of his immediate associates for his even temper, his genuine modesty and his incorruptible integrity.”

In his daily walk and conversation he was uniformly kind and amiable and was always more anxious to promote the comfort of others than his own. In his long and painful sickness he uttered no word of complaint and with heroic fortitude witnessed the gradual wasting away of his life with absolute resignation. He knew that the disease with which he was afflicted would result fatally, and the only objection he made to the summons of death was his passionate affection for his wife and children.

The bravery with which he bore himself during his last sickness excited the admiration of all his acquaintances and displayed the genuine nobility of his character. He was sure to gain distinction in his profession for he enjoyed the universal confidence of every member of the bar.

His memory will be cherished with affectionate tenderness as long as any who knew him survive.

GRAND RAPIDS DAILY DEMOCRAT, Sunday 10 March 1889, p.4