Susan Caroline Randolph, daughter of Levi H. and Susan Amelia Backus Strong, was born April 25, 1867, at Hebron, Conn. She died at Milton, Wis., October 24, 1931.
Her younger days were spent at Hebron and at Owego, New York. She was graduated from Cornell university, Ithaca, N. Y. in 1889. Her chief academic interest was in the field of biology. While at Cornell she was active in the religious organizations and held the position of secretary of the Young People's society of Christian Endeavor - representing the combined Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Association groups - at the same time that John R. Mott was president of the organization.
During her last year at Cornell, she became acquainted with her future husband, Lester C. Randolph, who was a post graduate student at the university at the time.
On December 25, 1890, she was married to Mr. Randolph. They moved to Chicago where she entered the Woman's Medical college of the Northwestern university and Mr. Randolph entered a theological seminary. She was graduated from the medical school in 1893, one and a half years after the arrival of her first child, Beatrice. She never entered into active medical practice, but she tried to apply her medical knowledge in the rearing of her family.
She was an undiscouraged student throughout her life. She took a great interest in collecting books and papers of a cultural nature which were a great help to Mr. Randolph in his work as a pastor. In all they collected between three and four thousand volumes. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the Esperanto language, and by sending out material and talking about it she helped to create interest in which she hoped some day might become the universal language. She was a member of the school board for many years at Alfred, N. Y., and she was greatly interested in the public library.
Besides her literary and public interests and her activities in caring for her family she conducted a lyceum bureau for several years which was active throughout the middle west.
Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Randolph: Beatrice, Victor, Paul, Kenneth, Howell, and Doris. Though she had heavy responsibilities in the home and through her public interests and activities were no small consideration she maintained an attitude of quiet and retiring simplicity. She always faced the future with intrepid courage, even in situations very difficult to bear. When within one month she lost two full grown sons and her husband, she bore up bravely and lived always usefully for the remainder of her family.
Mrs. Randolph's husband, the late Dr. Lester C. Randolph, was for many years an outstanding minister in Seventh Day Baptist churches and for seven years the pastor of the Milton church. He devoted much time to the interests of Alfred university and of Milton college. He was a popular preacher in pulpits of many denominations. He was a strong champion of the prohibition movement and was well known as a chautanqua and lyceum bureau lecturer. Mrs. Randolph was keenly interested in his work and ever alert to discover materials of value which he could use.
Mrs. Randolph was a member of the Seventh Day Baptist church and a woman of fine Christian qualities. Though she was not prominent in the work of her church, her abiding interest was evident to her friends.
Mrs. Randolph is survived by one brother, Howard C. Strong, Owego, N. Y., and by one sister, Mrs. Geo. Story, Chicago. Another brother, Clayton C. Strong, Oakland, California, has passed on. She is survived by three children: Dr. Victor and Dr. Howell Randolph, Phoenix, Ariz., and Doris, Mrs. Ezra Vincent, Two Rivers, Wis. There are five grandchildren: Kenneth's daughter Jean Marie; Victor's son and daughter, Victor Jr. and Caroline Elizabeth; and Howell's son and daughter, George Frederick and Susan Charlotte.
Mrs. Randolph has been afflicted for several years with gradually failing health and the loss of sight until she was nearly blind. She bore her distress with great patience and fortitude. Through the use of her radio she enjoyed worship and sermons, lectures on educational and cultural subjects and good music. She kept up her interest in good books and engaged one and another to come and read to her. When callers came in she had interesting subjects of which she loved to speak and she rarely mentioned her physical distresses unless questioned about them.
In her passing she leaves not only her children who will miss the abiding interest and affection of a loving mother, but also she leaves a large circle of friends who have known her, loved her, and who will long cherish the memory of one who lived and served so unselfishly.
The funeral was held from the Milton Seventh Day Baptist church on Tuesday afternoon, October 27, 1931. Mrs. W. E. Rogers was the organist. A male quartette consisting of Dr. A. E. Whitford, Prof. L. H. Stringer, Prof. W. D. Burdick, and Mr. Leslie Bennett sang appropriate selections. The funeral was conducted by Pastor James L. Skaggs, the Rev. John W. Findley, West Lafayette, Indiana, and the Rev. Edwin Shaw assisting. Burial was made in the Milton cemetery.
