Schlund, Elsie L. (Miss), 1880-1930

SCHLUND

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:36

From the Rock Valley Bee, July 25, 1930:

FORMER ROCK VALLEY GIRL PASSED AWAY

Friends of the John J. Schlund family, former well-known residents of this vicinity, will be grieved to learn of the death of Miss Elsie L. Schlund, who passed away at her home in Anaheim, California. Miss Schlund was born on the Schlund farm six miles west of Rock Valley and grew to womanhood there, the family having moved from here to California some twenty years ago. The funeral services were in charge of The American Legion of that place, Miss Schlund having served overseas as Red Cross nurse during the world war.

According to reports we have at hand the services were very impressive, and were conducted with military honors to which she was fully entitled. In carrying out the services the Legion had sixteen Legionnaires and a like number of Red Cross nurses, all in uniform. The casket was draped with the United States flag and banked at each end with blankets and wreaths of flowers. During the chapel services a Legionnaire stood with emblem in hand at each end of the casket, and at the close of the service the Legionnaires filed past the casket saluting and bidding farewell to their departed comrade.

Having a nine mile drive through heavy traffic to the Santa Ana Cemetery where the Mausoleum is located, arrangements had been made whereby the funeral procession was escorted to the cemetery by two Motorcycle Police officers, with one at the front and the other at the rear of the procession to clear the way, and halt traffic at cross roads. The pall bearers were Legionnaires, and at reaching the lawn in front of the Mausoleum the casket was placed upon a flower blanketed pedestal, where further services were held before interment, by a squad of State Militia who gave a firing salute to their departed comrade, followed by the bugelist sounding the taps.

The Anaheim Bulletin gives the following account: Anaheim Legionnaires were preparing to stage full military honors, tomorrow afternoon, in honor of Miss Elsie Schlund, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Schlund and one of Orange county’s few war nurse American Legion members. Miss Schlund, who had a varied and colorful career including service overseas for the two years America was in the war, had been in failing health for the past four years, death occurring at the family home on Nursery avenue yesterday evening.

The funeral rites, which will be entirely in charge of the Anaheim Legion post, will be conducted from the Backs-Terry and Campbell parlors with burial to be made in Fairhaven mausoleum, Fairhaven cemetery, Santa Ana. Miss Schlund was a member of the Mobile, Ala., Legion post.

She began her career as a nurse in 1907 when she enlisted in the service of the American Red Cross Society after training in the Selma Training School for Nurses in Cook county hospital, Chicago. She later became assistant superintendent of nurses and then superintendent of nurses in the Southern Infirmary, Mobile, Ala., serving there for a period of nine years.

Upon the outbreak of war in 1917 she enlisted and was assigned to duty as chief nurse in the army service at Camp Sheridan, Ala., being transferred, after a year, to base hospital 52 at Rimacourt[?], France, serving as chief nurse there for the duration of the war. After leaving the army service Miss Schlund served for a time as chief nurse in the government hospital in Mobile, Ala., later resigning to take a course in anaesthetics at the Lakeside hospital, Cleveland, Ohio.

Upon completion of her course she obtained a position as instructor in anaesthetics at the University of Virginia which post she held until four years ago when ill health forced her to resign. At this time she came to her parents’ home here and a year ago suffered a complete breakdown. Mr. and Mrs. Schlund, the parents, have lived in Anaheim for the past 15 years.

Deceased is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Emma Buckley, of Lexington, Ky., Mrs. Esther Hannah, of Tucson, Ariz., and Mrs. Marian Lindsey, of Los Angeles and one brother, C. F. Schlund, of Santa Ana.

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The California Death Index on Ancestry.com has Elsie L. Schlund, died 10 July 1930 in Orange County, California, age 49.

FindaGrave shows her born 1880, died 1930, buried in Fairhaven Memorial Park, Santa Ana, Orange County, California, with a photo of her mausoleum plaque, “1880 A.E.F. 1930, Chief Nurse Unit 52.”