Beyond Fiction

Thanks to a volunteer at Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness, I now have a copy of the obituary for Martin Isaic Spangler’s youngest child, Lonnie Lawrence Spangler. Here is a transcript of the obituary:

Lonnie Lawrence Spangler, 48, died Tuesday in Loma Linda. A native of Sherry, Tex., he had lived in Redlands for many years and was a resident of Highland.
Survivors include the widow, Wilma, of Highland; two daughters, Mrs. Barbara Jo Henderson of San Bernardino and Mrs. Shirley Jean Coleman of West Monroe, La.; two brothers, John Carl Spangler of Portland, Ore., and Charles M. Spangler of Wichita, Kan.; three sisters, Mrs. Dora Jones of San Diego, Mrs. Cecil Townsley of Austin, Tex., and Mrs. Ella Ferguson of Harlingen, Tex.; and 10 grandchildren.
Services are pending at F. Arthur Cortner Chapel, Redlands.

I’ve learned a lot from this obituary. I’ve learned Lonnie’s wife’s first name, The married names of two of his daughters, and the fact that he had 10 grandchildren. That in itself is a lot more research to do.

I’ve also learned that John was in Oregon, Charles was in Kansas, Dora was now a Jones and living in San Diego, Cecil is now a Townsley and living in Austin, and Ella has gone back to Ferguson and is still in Harlingen. I’ve also learned that, apparently, Henry, Eva and James are all not listed which means that they must have died before April 1962. Of course, there is also the possiblity of not knowing where they were or whatever but my first guess is probably right.

My next step is to try to figure out the maiden name of Wilma, figure out who Barbara and Shirley married and figure out the birth dates of their children. I also hope to use the information gathered to find out more about Dora and Cecil. Maybe now I can find Ella in Harlingen. I had been looking for an Ella Robinson!

That’s it for today. I have to get ready for work and I’ll holler back tomorrow!