Born just months after the Civil War ended, Thomas B. Pace Jr. lived through Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, and the upheavals of early 20th-century America. His death in 1931 came at the dawn of the Great Depression, a time when the values inscribed on his gravestone—charity, compassion, faith—were desperately needed.
Thomas, and two of his siblings highlighted here, were laid to rest in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Cochran, Bleckley County, Georgia.
Thomas Pace Jr.'s Life of Civic Virtue
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| Thomas B. Pace Jr. Son of Thomas B. Pace and Catherine, His Wife Born Sept 30, 1865 Died Sept 18, 1931 Here is to the remains of our brother, Thomas B. Pace, who at all times and places gave his strength to the weak; his substance to the poor, his sympathy to the suffering, and his heart to God. |
This epitaph, presumably composed by his surviving siblings, reflects a life dedicated to civic virtues, especially in the tumultuous era in which Thomas lived. An obituary ran in the Athens Banner-Herald (Georgia) on 25 September 1931. Athens was home to one of his sisters.
"Athenian's Brother Dies in Pensacola
Thomas B. Pace, brother of Mrs. J. H. Becker of Athens died at Pensacola, Fla., and was buried in Cochran, Ga., it was learned today. Mr. Pace was for many years interested in development of West Florida and South Alabama. He was a native of Twiggs county, aged 66, [a]nd was a member of the Masons, Shrine and the Baptist church.
Besides Mrs. Becker he is survived by a sister, Mrs. T. K. McRae, San Antonio, Texas; two brothers, J. G. and J. H. Pace of Jacksonville, Fla. Mr. Pace has visited in Athens."
Susie McRae's Faith Amidst Uncertainty
Susie Clifford Pace McRae, the sister living in Texas at the time of Thomas's death, was laid to rest in Cedar Hill Cemetery eighteen years later.
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| Susie Clifford Pace Wife of T. K. McRae Sept 14, 1873 - Jan 8, 1949 "I know not where His islands lift Their fronded palms in air; I only know I cannot drift Beyond His love and care." |
Susie's epitaph is an often-quoted stanza from John Greenleaf Whittier's poem "The Eternal Goodness," expressing deep faith in divine love even amid uncertainty. Whittier was a famous Quaker abolitionist poet, and his reflection on doubt and trust resonates with a long life that spanned dramatic historical change.
Caroline Becker's Promise of Purity
Lastly, there's Caroline Virginia Pace Becker. According to her obituary from the 2 October 1964 Athens Banner-Herald, Becker died on 30 September 1964 "in a local hospital after a lengthy illness." It also noted she had lived in Athens since 1907, was preceded in death by her husband, and was the daughter of the late Thomas B. Pace and Catherine McCrea Pace.
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| Caroline Virginia Pace Wife of John H. Becker 1871 - 1964 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." |
Caroline's epitaph is from the Bible. Matthew 5:8, one of the Beatitudes, is a cornerstone of Christian teaching. A running theme among the gravestones of these three siblings is deep faith. And in an age of noise, these epitaphs whisper what matters.
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