---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Edward H. Anderson
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 7
number: 10
published: 1904-08
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Edward H. Anderson, "In Memoriam—Death of Apostle Woodruff," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 10 (August 1904): 743.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0710unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera0710unse
start_page: 743
end_page: 743
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-08)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0710unse
  publication_year: 1904
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1904, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# In Memoriam—Death of Apostle Woodruff

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N MEMORIAM.

     The death of Apostle Abraham Owen Woodruff was startling
news  to the Latter-day Saints.   Scarcely had they been informed
of the sad death of his wife, Helen Winters, when the news that
he had died from the same dread disease, contracted while caring
for her, came as a distinct shock to the people.
       Apostle Woodruff was the youngest and one of the most ac-
tive men of his quorum   — constantly traveling among the people.
His wife on one occasion said: "I count the days for his return, but
I   am always counting!"   — so much was he away from home and
family.
       There was a simplicity and kindness about Brother Woodruff
that won men to him.       There was a willingness to do that made
him a leader whom men would readily follow; and in his nature
was the touch of sympathy that won all classes to his bidding. He
was active as a    colonizer,    and possessed that broad nature so
predominant in the pioneer.       His speech, clear, simple, logical and
deliberate, was like soothing music to the irritable, and its ofttime
humor turned anger into jovial pleasantry.        His sympathies were
with the nether dog, and his pleading in high places went straight
for justice to the struggling.    He minced no words where chastise-
ment was    due, but   when repentance came      to the      heart of the
chastened, he was first to sooth with words of love and acts of
consideration.    The characteristic     spirituality, the    unparalleled
energy, and the trusting faith of his revered father, had received
lodgment in his heart, and well may the youth of Israel weep
when we think of what might have been, if these had found full
fruition in mature manhood, instead of being cut short in the very
budding.
      Considering his labors, his youth and strength, and the pros-
pects before him, and contemplating the need of         his       help among
the Saints, and especially      among the young men          of    Zion,   who