HOSTETTER, Winifred (1891-1919)

HOSTETTER

Posted By: IAGenWeb obituary volunteer
Date: 7/4/2006 at 23:34:11

Mrs. V. Hostetter Asphyxiated While Dressing for Dinner
Was Pianiste of Note
Belonged to Musical Art Club and was Registrar of Matinee Musical Club

Mrs. Winifred Marian Conrad Hostetter died of gas asphyxiation yesterday afternoon in her apartment at 4215 Chestnut street. Mrs. Hostetter was registrar of the Matinee Musical Club and a member of the Musical Art Club.

Mrs. Hostetter was dressing for a dinner with friends in Rutledge, Pa., and had asked an apartment neighbor to light the water heater for her. This had been done. Some time later others in the building heard moaning in the bath room. A window was forced and Mrs. Hostetter was found unconscious on the floor. She evidently had fallen as she was turning off the gas and had been unable to recover from her daze before the gas pouring from the heater rendered her helpless.

Mrs. Hostetter was taken in an ambulance to the University Hospital and her husband, Van Vechten Hostetter, of the Evening Public Ledger, was summoned from his office. When he reached the hospital she was dead.

Mrs. Hostetter was born in Traer, Ia., October 8, 1891. She was the daughter of Chauncey and Anna Boyland Conrad. Later she moved to Des Moines, Ia., with her family and three years ago she was married to Mr. Hostetter in Philadelphia.

Mrs. Hostetter was deeply interested in music and was herself an accomplished pianiste, having studied with, the Sternberg School and Mary Miller Mount. Shortly after her coming to Philadelphia Mrs. Hostetter was invited to membership in the Matinee Musical Club. She made herself so valuable that she was shortly made registrar, first being associated with Mrs. Frederick W. Abbott and then with Mrs. Edwin B. Garrigues, who succeeded Mrs. Abbott in the presidency of the club.

Mrs. Hostetter accomplished the keeping of her apartment and the attending of her club duties and was preparing to appear in recitals for school children in the campaign to give music a bigger part in the schools. She was also to have appeared in the Matinee Musical Club's Christmas party for children.

Mrs. Hostetter is survived by her mother, Mrs. Anna Boylan Conrad, of Ames, Ia, one sister and two brothers- Mrs. W.C. Stephenson, of Ames, Ia.; William Conrad, editor of newspaper at Medford, Wis.; and Maurice B. Conrad, a druggist and ranchman of Strool, S.D., and her husband.

Public Ledger (Pennsylvania), Dec. 22, 1919