Nightingale, Aldea Mae (1918-1941)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1941 Oct 29 p. 5

Birth date: 1918 Aug 11

text of obituary:

Aldea Mae Nightingale

Aldea Mae Nightingale, third oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Nightingale, was born August 11, 1918, in McPherson county at Galva, Kansas.

She received her grade school education near Moundridge, Kansas, and attended two years of high school at Whitewater, Kansas. her lot in life was a hard one. She never was physically strong.

At the age of 16 circumstances were such that Aldea had to go to work and had been earning her own living ever since, besides giving freely to help her parents and sisters. She gained many friends by her quiet and sincere ways.

Aldea was baptized upon her confession of faith in the First Mennonite Church at Newton, Kansas, by Rev. J. E. Entz, with a class of almost 33 on May 16, 1937.

June 14, 1941, Aldea was a victim of a car accident and miraculously escaped death, but had been very weak since then.

Aldea became ill October 9 and passed from this life with a smile on her face to greet her Lord and Savior at 6:30 P.M., October 16.

Aldea will be greatly missed by her bereaved parents, brothers, sisters, and friends. She was preceded in death by an infant brother in 1923. She leaves to mourn her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Nightingale, Rosalind (Mrs. Dester) Lee, Marilyn, Natalie, Rowbina [sic Robina], and Warren, all of Whitewater, Darine [sic Dorine] of Newton, and Verbie of Wichita, besides a host of relatives and friends.

She attained the age of 23 years, 2 months and 5 days. Since it was diphtheria that caused her death, funeral services were held Sunday afternoon, Oct. 19, at 2:30 at the Emmanuel Mennonite cemetery, where Rev. J E. Entz and Rev. J. J. Ratzlaff of Newton spoke words of comfort.

In spite of the rainy weather and the muddy roads, a goodly number of relatives and friends had gathered to express their sympathy to the bereaved family.

We miss thee from our home, dear Aldea,
We miss thee from thy place.
A shadow o’er our life is cast,
We miss the sunshine of they face.
We miss thy kind and willing hand,
Thy fond and earnest care.
Our home is dark without thee —
We miss thee everywhere.