Doolittle, Elsie Leona 1890-1920

DOOLITTLE, KENSINGER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 4/6/2011 at 16:34:57

The Grinnell (IA) Herald; May 11, 1920

MRS. JESSE W. DOOLITTLE

Elsie Leona Kensinger was born on a farm in Madison township, near Brooklyn, Ia., on Dec. 15, 1890, and departed from this life in Foochow, China, in May, 1920. Elsie attended the district school until she had reached the eighth grade, when she then came with her mother, brother and two sisters to Grinnell, Ia., where she entered the class which graduated from the high school in the year 1909. After graduation she taught school two years before entering Grinnell college with the class of 1915. After attending the college in Grinnell three years she then moved with her mother, brother and sister to Iowa City in the fall of 1914, and entered the State University of Iowa from which she graduated in June, 1915. The two years following were spent in teaching in the high schools at Rudd and Elma, Ia.

On Aug. 22, 1917, she became the wife of Jesse W. Doolittle of Sibley, Ia. They then moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., where Mr. Doolittle was engaged in teaching physics at the Carnegie Institute of Technology. On Sept. 1, 1918, a little son, Glayne Duverne, came to gladden their home. For two years, Pittsburgh was their home--after which time they made final preparations in study for their work as missionaries to China. On Sept. 2, 1919, with happy hearts and highest hopes and ambition for their future, Elsie, her husband and baby sailed for Foochow, China, where Mr. Doolittle was to teach in the Fukien Christian university. Elsie has been doing evangelistic work under the difficulties imposed by ignorance of the Chinese language, which, however, she has been working so hard to learn. Letters of encouragement and enthusiasm have been received from time to time and friends and relatives thought that all was going well when the cablegram announcing death arrived Friday evening. No details as to the time of her death and cause were given and it is not known whether the body will be returned to this country or not.

Besides a husband and a twenty months old baby, she leaves six brothers and four sisters, all of whose hearts are stricken with deep sorrow.

Elsie was loved by her classmates, her school children and all others who knew her. She was a devoted, loving wife and mother and an earnest Christian worker. She will be greatly missed by all. Although she had pledged her life for the work of her Master yet it seems that God had a different plan. Our loss is heaven's gain.