Rev. Ralph Waldo Quakenbush (1882-1942)

QUAKENBUSH, BUCK, WILLIAMS, STUTTLE, HARVEY, GARRIOTT, COX

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:13

From Nevada Evening Journal January 24, 1942 (page 4)

Final Rites Held at Maxwell for Deceased Minister

Maxwell, Jan. 24 -- The Presbyterian church was well filled with relatives, friends and members of the churches on Thursday morning, Jan. 15, to pay a last respect to the late Rev. Ralph W. Quakenbush, pastor of the local Brethren church, who died Sunday, Jan. 11, at the University hospital in Iowa City following an operation he had undergone.

The service was in charge of Elder Ickenberry, who assisted Rev. Fleishman of Dallas. A double quartette composed of members of the Iowa Ministerial Association, including O. E. Barrow of Elkhart, P. R. Epley of Loring, Gilber E. McKeemman of Bondurant, C. E. Lookingbill of Nevada, John C. Turner and H. G. Darling of Maxwell, and others, with Floyd L. Sheperd at the piano, sang "Nearer, Still Nearer" and "Home of the Soul."

Mrs Ray Gooden sang "Sunrise" with Arthur Hale and accompanist. The floral tributes were very beautiful. On Friday, further services and burial were at Emporia, Kan. The casket was carried by Dwight and Earl Enfield, James and Robert Beal, E. L. Wood and Stanley Bullard.

The obituary read by the ministers was in part

"Ralph Waldo Quakenbush was born in Lyon county, Kansas, on May 8, 1882. He passed on to his well-earned reward Jan. 11, 1942, at the age of 59 years, eight months and three days. Ralph's mother was a daughter of Jacob Buck of Palo Alto county, Illinois. His father, John M. Quakenbush was from Catham county, North Carolina. From his parents he inherited some fine characteristics which expressed themselves all through his life.

"In his religious life he followed in the footsteps of his parents. His mother's parents were members of the German Baptist Brethren, now known as the Church of the Brethren. Ralph's father joined the church after his marriage and all of the children who grew to adulthood affiliated with the church of their parents.

"In April 1883, his parents move to Olpe, Lyon county, Kansas where they reared their family of 12 children. The tract of land was known as the Quakenbush homestead until 1933. On June 24, 1909, he was married to Dollie Williams of Olpe, Kan. To this union were born four sons, John, Galen, Herbert and Ralph, Jr.

"His work at Maxwell, though not covering a long period of time, was packed full of good deeds and humble services. His church work was most satisfactory. The church increased in attendance and interest under his leadership. Both the church and the community loved him. He made friends easily and was a friend of everybody. Your attendance today, which is a cross-section of church and community, further indicates this fact. His good and sacrificed life has earned a place in all our hearts. Thus comes to a close a life that has been well lived--loyal to God and active in his service. We leave him now in the hands of a rewarding God to await the resurrection of the just.

"Speaking in the language of St. Paul, we have, we believe, the closing thought of life. I am now to be offered and the time of departure is at hand.

"I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day." (II Timothy 4:6-8)

He leaves to mourn his departure his devoted wife and four children, John of San Francisco, Calif., Ralph, Jr., of Los Angeles, Calif., Galen of Wichita, Kan., Herbert, who is in the medical corps at Kelley Field, Texas. Four sisters and one brother, Mrs. W. W. Stuttle of Batavia, Ill., Mrs. J. M. Harvey, Olpe, Kan., Mrs. Ella Garriott of Madison, Kan., Mrs. J. W. Cox of Fairview, Mo., and Loran Quakenbush of Madison, Kan.