Lydia (Berkley) Tague
Marriages
Patrick "Pat" Tague - 1889
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - January 22, 1937
LYDIA B. TAGUE SUMMONED TO LAST REWARD.
BORN IN COLORADO 69 YEARS AGO SHE HAD LIVED IN EAGLE COUNTY 53 YEARS--WAS FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD JUDICIAL POSITION IN COLORADO, SERVING AS JUDGE OF EAGLE COUNTY FOR 18 YEARS.
Lydia Berkley TAGUE, one of Eagle County's and Colorado's grandest women, died at St. Luke's hospital, Montrose, Colo., at 11:30 a.m., January 15, 1937, following a stroke of paralysis which came on her Tuesday afternoon, January 12. She was unconscious from the time the stroke seized her until death.
Mrs. TAGUE was a native daughter of Colorado, having been born in Boulder, January 5,1868, and her entire life of 69 years was spent in the state. At the age of 16 years she came to Red Cliff and made her home with her sister, Josephine MAYS, and the latter's husband, Doctor MAYS, one of the pioneer physicians of the state. She made her home with them until her marriage, at the age of 21, to Pat TAGUE, in 1889. To this happy union there were born five children, three daughters and two sons, all now living.
Her husband served the county as County Judge for a number of years, and on his death in 1911, Mrs. TAGUE was appointed to fill his unexpired term, and she became the first woman to fill a judicial position in Colorado. She was elected to that position in 1912, and continued in the office until 1924, when she retired, refusing to run for reelection longer. Later she was clerk of the district court of the fifth Judicial District under Judge Francis E. BOUCK, holding the position until poor health impelled her to retire from public life.
Mrs. TAGUE was a truly grand woman. A faithful mother, she carefully raised her children to manhood and womanhood, never neglecting her family during all the years of public life. As a public official she was faithful always to her trust, was a loyal, patriotic citizen to her county and community, and a neighbor beyond compare. It was such women as Lydia Berkley TAGUE that made the Colorado of today possible, standing loyally shoulder to shoulder with their men, encouraging them in times of trial and doing their share of facing the hardships of pioneer days at the same time raising a family of loyal citizens to carry on the work they had started--making Colorado one of the grandest of the commonwealths of the union.
It was sad that she should have to spend the last days of her life as an invalid, being bedridden most of the past two years. But she bore her suffering as she had other trials of life, philosophically, and without complaint.
Her daughters, Mrs. Ruth DARROW and Mrs. Bernarda MEEHAN, were with her during her last hours, but she never regained consciousness to recognize them.
Funeral services were held in Red Cliff last Monday afternoon, and she was laid to rest beside the body of her beloved husband, who had preceded her in death. Mrs. TAGUE was a member of the Episcopalian church, and during the last two years of her illness Rev. Mr. FOSTER of the Montrose church of that faith, had been a great comfort to her and he came to Red Cliff to deliver the funeral discourse.
She is survived by two sons: James B. TAGUE, Long Beach, Calif.; Major Harold M. TAGUE of the United States army, stationed at Calumet, Mich.; three daughters--Ruth K. DARROW, Olathe,Colo.; Bernarda D. MEEHAN, Eagle, Colo., and Josephine HURLBUT, Modesto, Calif. The children were all present at the funeral with the exception of James and Mrs. HURLBUT who were unable to be here.
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 5 - January 22, 1937
Major Harold M. TAGUE of the United States Army, Infantry, was in Eagle this week, being called here on the sad mission of attending the funeral of his mother, Mrs. Lydia B. TAGUE. Harold served with the American forces during the World War as a lieutenant, and liking the military service, decided to make it his life's profession, and continued in the service when peace was made. He has steadily advanced in rank and is now a major. At present he is stationed at Calumet, Mich., where he is an instructor of military tactics to high school cadets. He is a native son of Eagle county, having been born at Red Cliff, where he grew to manhood and lived until the war came along.
