Almost thirty relatives and close friends gathered at the Princeville cemetery last Sunday, June 2, at 3 p.m. in a memorial service, the occasion being the burial of the ashes of the late Edward N. Fast who passed away at Stamford, Connecticut Dec. 15, 1945.

A brother, W. W. Fast, opened the burial service with the reading of an appropriate prayer as a prelude to the eulogy he had prepared to honor the deceased family member. Another brother, B. M. Fast of Clearfield, Pa. made a few remarks in following.

Excerpts of the eulogy which will be of special interest to those who knew the Fast family follow:

“E. N. as we affectionately called him embarked upon the voyage from which the traveler ever returns on the 15th day of December, 1945. He was 71 years old, not in year but old in performance and accomplishment.

“He was born and raised on a farm northwest of Princeville and as a boy attended the Henry country school until the fall of 1890 when he enrolled with Princeville high school from which he graduated in the spring of 1894. After hid graduation he taught school in the Princeville vicinity for three years and in fall of 1897 entered the Marion Business college in Marion, Ind.

“After year of intensive study there, he obtained a position as teacher in a business college in Plainsfield, N. J. While at Plainsfield he made application and was named principal of the Merrill Scholl until Aug. 1905 when he resigned to accept a position as teller with the Fidelity Title and Trust company of Stanford. He remained with the ban until the time of his death, a little more than 40 years. The Fidelity Title and Trust company was organized and began operation in 1902, but owing to competition and other various causes was able to made but little headway and that was what attracted E. N.’s attention to it; he wanted to apply the knowledge of which he had studied and taught to practical use. When he started with the bank, it has two employees, himself and a bank keeper. He held every position in the ban from teller to president and saw the payroll to increased to more than 40 employees.

“While the bank always came first with him, he gave liberally of his time and talents to civic affairs. I think it is both a fair and honest statement to make when I say he was one of the best known and best liked men in the city of Stamford. It did not surprise me I e=received a copy of the Stanford Daily Advocate last fall telling of the purchase of the adjoining building for more room and a quarter page announcement showing the financial growth of the bank during the 40-year period. Aug 1905-1945, the time of E. N.’s association with it. I wrote him in November a letter of congratulation, but it was never answered—he was too close to the end.

“He was tolerant, he always respected the views and opinions of others—he always kept both feet on the ground—he had intelligence, he was quick to grasp and analysis problems that presented themselves, he has courage; he never complained; never bucked up; never quit—he died as he lived unafraid.”

The following members of the family were present: Dr. and Mrs. Harry D. Fast of Mackinaw, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. Homer D. Neff of Peoria, Mr. and Mrs. Byron M. Fast of Chesterfield, Pa., Emmett E. Fast of Los Angeles, Calif. Leigh A. Fast and two daughters Virginia and Gertrude of Beardstown, Ill., Harriett M. and W. W. Fast, both of Princeville, Mrs. Rena B. Dart, a sister of Waukegan, Ill., and he aged mother, now past 96 years, were unable to attend.