Hood, Gloria (1933-1936)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1936 Nov 11 p. 5

Birth date: 1933

text of obituary:

LOCAL

. . .

— The entire city of Newton was deeply stirred Tuesday night when the report was broadcast that Gloria Hood, the three year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hood of 313 Old Main street, had strayed away in the afternoon and could not be found anywhere. Neighbors and friends joined the city police, National Guard and Boy Scouts later in the afternoon in combing the western and southern parts of the city, as well as the entire countryside for miles around in the search for the child. This continued throughout the night, but without success. According to reports from the parents, the child strayed from the home while the mother was away on a shopping tip to uptown stores. The father, who works at night, was asleep during that time, and was still asleep when the mother returned. Also Gloria and another child were asleep at the time the mother left the home but must have awakened and walked out of the house. There are apparently no clues whatever of this mysterious case to be found anywhere. A few blood stains on the sidewalk in the vicinity of the child's home have not been considered as having any connection with the case. Gloria is the third of a group of five children.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1936 Nov 18 p. 5

text of obituary:

LOCAL

. . .

— The stirring search for little Gloria Hood, who disappeared from the home of her parents in Newton a week ago, came to an end yesterday, when the child's dead body was found in an open wheat field about three miles south of Newton. Strangely enough, a truck driver coming to newton from Wichita on highway No. 81 saw the body from the road, while hundreds of searchers, who must have been in that vicinity during the course of the week, failed to see it. Following the night of her disappearance, several hundred men and boys spent the entire night out combing the countryside for miles around. Clad in blue coveralls and a sweater but without shoes and stockings, the child lay face downward about 200 feet from the highway, where according to indications it might have lain for several days. From bruises on the beet and body it appeared that the unfortunate infant might have wandered through weeds and thickets before it fell on the spot where it was found, cold and exhausted. Yet the entire tragedy remains a deep mystery, since an intensive hunt by volunteers workers was carried on for a number of days, and it is hard to understand how the child could possibly have escaped notice. Also a wide search was already in progress a few hours before nightfall on the day she disappeared. The parents of the child have the deep sympathy of the entire community. Funeral services will be held at the First Methodist church tomorrow.