Longtime Fort Calhoun Resident Passes Away

Fort Calhoun lost one of its most well-known and best-loved residents Wednesday night, when Edith Louise Neale, 89, passed away at the Great Plains Nursing Home in Omaha. She had been taken there on Monday, having been in ill health for some time.

Memorial services are to be held Tuesday, May 27th, at 2:00 p.m. at Sievers-Sprick Funeral Home in Fort Calhoun for Miss Neale, followed by an interment service at the Fort Calhoun Cemetery. Lunch will be served at the Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church after the services.

Edith Louis Neale was born on January 12, 1891, to David and Alice Neale in rural Fort Calhoun. She lived most of her life in Fort Calhoun, except for the years she taught school at Waterloo and Wisner, at Francis Shimer School for Girls, and at Principia College in Missouri. She also taught for a time in Fort Calhoun.

Miss Neale had many interests, including the American Association of University Women, the Washington County Historical Society, Fontenelle Forest, the Audubon Society, and Fort Calhoun Woman’s Club. She was a member of Third Church of Christ Scientists, which is in charge of the memorial service.

Survivors include Pauline Neale, a sister-in-law; two nieces, Mable McArthur and Elanor Shaner of California; Neale Shaner, a great-nephew; eight great nieces and nephews and seven great-great-nieces and nephews. Miss Neale was preceded in death by two sisters, Grace and Bertha and one brother George.

Memorials are suggested for Fontenelle Forest and the Washington County Historical Society.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~