Miss Ilerda Ethelda Weiss, daughter of Major Webster C. Weiss, died December 14, 1903, and the distressing event evoked from the Bethlehem Times the following fervent tribute to her character and worth: After a brave fight for many years against ill health, Miss Ilerda Ethelda Weiss, the estimable young daughter of Major Webster C. Weiss, Grand Secretary of the Royal Arcanum of the State of Pennsylvania, and his wife, Mrs. Hattie E. Weiss, departed this life shortly after 2 o'clock this morning at the family residence, No. 120 North Main street, Bethlehem, aged twenty-eight years, one month and ten days. Her passing away was caused by heart failure. Up to November 13 of the present year she was able to attend to her office duties. The deceased young woman was born in Weissport. Seventeen years ago the family removed to Bethlehem. Here she was graduated from the Bethlehem High School as well as the Bethlehem Business College. She was recognized as a young woman of fine business attainments. During the Grand Regency of her father, Major Webster C. Weiss, in the Royal Arcanum, his first prominent office in that fraternity, she served as his private secretary and after his election to the State Secretaryship he appointed her his general office assistant. She mastered all the details of the work, frequently assuming the supervision of vast correspondence for weeks at a time during her father's absence. She was deeply in love with her work and the order with which she became so familiar for the past five years. During the absence of her father during the Spanish-American War she took charge of his coal trade in the Bethlehems and Allentown for Messrs. Whitney & Kemmerer, by whom her father was employed. So well did she perform this work that the firm liberally rewarded her, presenting her with a purse of $500. Miss Weiss was a charter member of the Bethany United Evangelical Church, of this place, serving as assistant organist from time to time and until her strength commenced to fail, taught a class of boys in the Sunday school. She possessed a loving disposition and was devoted to her parents and sister. All her spare time for the last several weeks was devoted to making and selecting Christmas presents for her friends, expecting to live to distribute them at Christmas, but realizing a few days ago that the end was near, she called her parents and sister, giving them minute instructions concerning the distribution of her gifts, presenting a number in person; then turning to her parents, she said: "Don't weep for me. I am so glad to go to meet my sister in heaven. I have suffered so much; my end is near; rejoice rather than weep: one has gone, soon I will go, but you have one more left." Her whole life was one of constant consideration for the comfort and pleasure of others. The deceased was preceded to the grave about five years ago by a sister, Miss Claire Weiss. Besides her bereaved parents, one sister. Miss Lillie Weiss, survives to mourn her early death. The bereaved family have the sympathy of the community.

The funeral took place from the family residence, where a large concourse of relatives and friends were gathered. Rev. Wm. H. Hartzler of Bethany United Evangelical church, Bethlehem, Rev. A. A. DeLong of Easton, and Rev. J. A. Feger of Bangor officiated. Rev. Mr. Feger preached the sermon. Bethany church choir sang four selections. Many floral tributes were sent, including a wreath on an easel by the Grand Council of the Royal Arcanum of Pennsylvania and a pillow from the family. The pallbearers were Dr. James A. Crawford, Wm. J. Woodring, Arthur C. Krause, Geo. J. Frantz, John H. Kruse and Charles E. Wenhold, Jr., members of Lehigh Council, R. A., of Bethlehem.