FORMER BLAIR WOMAN CALLED

Mrs. O. W. Athan, Well Known by Washington County Residents Answers Last Call While Visiting in Long Beach, California.

WAS SUCCESSFUL TEACHER

Mrs. O. W. Athan, well known in this county, but for years a resident of Minnesota, was called by death last Saturday night, June 14.

She had gone to Long Beach, California for a visit with her sister, Mrs. John Porter and had been there but six days when she passed away.

Mrs. Athan was born near Craig and there grew to womanhood. After receiving her education, she engaged in the teaching profession along in the late eighties, which she followed for her entire life.

About 1914, Mr. and Mrs. Athan bought a farm in Minnesota where Mr. Athan farmed for a number of years while Mrs. Athan continued her work as a teacher. Later they purchased property in Pipestone and made their home. Mr. Athan gave up teaching and is now employed in the postal service, but Mrs. Athan still continued her teaching.

Her heart was in the work and she lived always with the thought of making herself better equipped for her chosen profession.

About two years ago she wrote us that she had gotten her Masters Degree which was a remarkable feat for a person so busy.

Washington County friends, who knew her will grieve over her death, and many are the young and middle aged residents of the county who had her as teacher, who will feel that a real friend and helper has gone.

The body will be brought to Pipestone for interment where the funeral service will be held Saturday afternoon.

We have know both Mr. and Mrs. Athan for more than forty years, and we feel that her death is not only a loss to the bereaved relatives but to the community in which she lived.

She leaves beside her husband, two daughters, Esther, who is at home and Mrs. Irvin Talmadge of Chicago; two brothers, Dan of Craig, Neb. and Victor of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a sister, Mrs. John Porter of Long Beach, California.

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

FindaGrave Memorial #47202090