Lucien A. Rann

RANN, BRADLEY, LEROY, WILLIAMS, DUNHAM, BROWN, BURR, PHELPS, WOLCOTT, NICHOLAS, KEAGY, SUCKOW, HUDSON

Posted By: C. Diamond, IAGenWeb Volunteer (email)
Date: 5/3/2013 at 10:14:17

The Manchester Press
Manchester, Delaware Co., Iowa
Thursday, Aug. 15, 1918
Page one, column one

LUCIEN A. RANN DIES IN SERVICE
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PASSED AWAY AT U.S. NAVAL HOSPITAL, BROOKLYN, N.Y., LAST SUNDAY EVENING. PARENTS WITH HIM.
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LOSES HIS LIFE BY SAVING OTHERS
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Contracted Severe Cold While Helping Rescue Comrades in Peril, Thereby Laying Foundation for the Disease That Proved Fatal.
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Another star on the service flag of Delaware county has been changed to gold by the death of Lucien A. Rann which occurred at the United States Naval hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y. on last Sunday evening, after long weeks of pain and suffering.

BORN IN MANCHESTER.
Lucien, son of Howard L. and Gertrude A. Rann, was born in Manchester, Iowa, May 2, 1898. At the age of eighteen he graduated from the Manchester High school, and entered Beloit college the same year. In the spring of the following year, 1917, he like thousands of other young men, felt the urge toward the battle front, but was finally persuaded to finish the school year, As soon as this was completed, he enlisted in the navy and was sent to the Great Lakes naval training center.

VOLUNTEERS FOR RESCUE WORK.
In November, 1917, there came to him an opportunity to demonstrate that he possessed the qualities of a true sailor. A violent storm was raging on the lake, and a boat containing a number of young men from the station was in great danger. Volunteers were called for to go to the rescue, and Lucien responded with others. The weather was cold and sleety, and his clothing was drenched long before the work was accomplished and the party returned. Up to this time his health had been excellent, but in this adventure he contracted a severe cold, which brought on an attack of pneumonia.When convalescent, he spent some weeks at home on furlough, and although he seemed to recover, he never regained the rugged health that had been formerly his.

ON THE WAY TO EUROPE.
He returned to the naval school, however, and completed his course of training. He was then assigned to duty on a merchant vessel and started for overseas. When several days out the ship was damaged in a collision and was obliged to return. In doing guard duty, Lucien contracted another hard cold, and upon arrival in port had to be sent to a hospital at once. Here an examination revealed the fact that tubercular trouble in an aggravated form had developed, and from the first his physicians held out but little hope for his recovery.

LINGERS FOR MANY WEEKS.
He was soon removed to the base hospital in Brooklyn. From here his parents received a dispatch on Sunday, July 7, stating that he was in a critical condition. They started at once, and from that time until his death on Sunday, August 11, they remained at his bedside. The sympathy of the entire community had gone out to Mr. and Mrs. Rann, as they sat during the weary days by the side of their son, seeing him pass slowly down into the valley of shadows, but the agony of that long waiting only those can know who have passed through a similar experience.

DIED IN HIS COUNTRY'S SERVICE.
It was not Lucien's fate to do his part on the battle lines, or hear the thunder of the enemy's guns, as he doubtless hoped to do; but he gave his life in sacrifice for his country as truly as do those other sons of our nation who are in these days fighting and falling in the trenches of France. All honor to his memory as that of a brave sailor lad, who lost his fight with death only that he might win imperishable renown as one of the glorious host who have given their all for their country and for humanity. And all honor to the father and mother, who with bowed heads but brave hearts, bear this stroke of ill fortune, knowing that they have given their son to the greatest cause that ever claimed the sacrifices of men and women. It is all the harder for them after losing their other son four years ago, but they will bear this added misfortune with the same fortitude which they displayed in facing their earlier trials. They and their daughter, Mrs. Amy Bradley, may be assured of the profound sympathy of a host of friends.

The funeral services were held at the home on Thursday afternoon at 4 o'clock, Rev. C.K. Hudson, the pastor of the family, being assisted by Rev. W. J. Suckow and Rev. Clifton Keagy of Clinton. A large gathering of friends and neighbors was present in spite of the rain, which doubtless made it impossible for many others to be there. The service was simple but impressive. The casket, surrounded by beautiful floral offerings, was draped in a fine American flag of Japanese silk, provided by the navy department for such occasions. It will remain in possession of the family. Messrs. E. W. Williams, A.R. LeRoy, Harold Dunham, Clarence Brown, Dayton Burr and Raymond Phelps acted as pall bearers, the latter two having been Lucien's college mates at Beloit. As the casket was carried to the hearse, and again from the hearse to the grave, it was preceded by two representatives of the navy, Herbert Wolcott, now home on furlough, and B. H. Nicholas, boatswain's mate, second class, who was the recruiting officer under whom Lucien enlisted. These two young men carried appropriate floral emblems.

Quietly the remains of the young sailor lad were laid to rest beneath the shade and the greensward of beautiful Oakland cemetery. His memory will live in the hearts of his, and his spirit has gone to join that immortal host of heroes who, by the sacrifice they made for home and country and humanity and God, constitute the only genuine and imperishable aristocracy the world will ever know.

Delaware Obituaries maintained by Constance Diamond.
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