OWEN, Mary "May" Arletta - 1878 - 1934

OWEN, CUSTER, WAGNER, KNUTESON

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 3/7/2016 at 20:22:19

SOURCE: Funeral service brochure
Contributor: Connie (Kelly) Ellis - great grand niece

Mary "May" Owen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Warren A. Owen, was born September 13, 1878 at Juneau, Wisconsin and passed away at her home in San Diego, California January 26, 1934. At the age of one year, she moved with her parents and siblings to Allamakee County, where they located to a farm near Postville, Iowa. Here she received her early education, finishing from Valder College, Decorah, Iowa in 1897. After teaching one year, she entered the Wisconsin Training School for Nurses, graduating in 1901. She followed her profession faithfully and successfully until about three years ago when she became ill.

During the early years of her work, she was located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Seattle, Washington, returning to her native state, Wisconsin in 1914, as superintendent of Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids. From this hospital, several years later, she enlisted as a Red Cross nurse. On her return from over-seas, she served as a surgical nurse at Santa Fe Hospital, Topeka,Kansas, from which she was transferred to the Sante Fe Hospital in Los Angeles, California,serving as superintendent of nurses. At the time of her death, she was an officer of the Corinthian Chapter #358 of the Eastern Star in San Diego, California.

She is survived by three sisters, Emma Custer of Madison, Wisconsin, Alice Wagner and Martha Knuteson, both of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin and three brothers, Clarence Owen and Eugene Owen both of Postville, Iowa and R. Fred Owen of Prosser, Washington.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother George W. Owen and 3 sisters, Elizabeth Emily "Libby" Owen who died at the age of one, Jennie Owen and Our Darling Owen, who both died in infancy.

The funeral was held at two o'clock Wednesday afternoon, January 31, 1934 from the home of her brother Clarence Owen. Reverend Galloway officiated. She was laid to rest in the family lot in the Hardin Cemetery. She led a faithful, devoted Christian life, always ready to answer the call of needy and suffering humanity, thereby achieving an enviable degree of success. Her friends were numbered by her acquaintances. She showered her cheery, sunny disposition on all with whom she came in contact.