Obituary

Tuesday, May 18, 1939. Evening Kansan.

Martha Elsie Rogers was born in Bloomington, Ill., September 12, 1868 and passed away to her eternal home at the family residence 128 East Ninth street, Newton, Kansas, May 22, 1939, at age of 71 years and 8 months.
On February 9, 1888 she was unified in marriage to W. E. Whitesell at LeRoy, Ill. They became the happy parents of three children, Elmer, Alma, and Arthur Paul. Arthur Paul came to an untimely death in the service of his country during the Word war. The first six years of Mrs. Whitesell's wedded life were spent in the vicinity of Bloominton, Ill. From that locality they moved near Jefferson, iowa, where they lived until 1909, when they came to Harvey , county, living southeast of Newton for 10 years. The last 20 years she and Mr. Whitesell have lived in Newton.
She was a of the First Methodist church, the Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Themian Club of Newton.
Mr. and Mrs. Whitesell celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary February 9, 1938, amid gladness and thanksgiving. She was a wonderful mother, a faithful Christian and a loyal woman to all worthy interests. She leaves to mourn her passing her devoted husband, W. E. Whitesell of the home, one daughter Mrs. Alma Fehr, San Antonio, Texas; one son, Elmer Whitesell, route 3, Newton. One sister Mrs. Harvey Rinker, Beaver, Iowa; four brothers, Thomas J. Rogers, J. Rogers, Essondale, B. C., Arthur Rogers, Portland, Oregon, Oliver Rogers, Medford, Oregon, and David Rogers , Dawson, Iowa.
Funeral services were held Monday, May 15, at 2:00 p. m. at the First Methodist church with rev. Samuel W. Keller in charge. Pallbearers were all members of the Whitesell-Finnell post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Emmett E. Smith, Glenn H. Wacker, Paul Pletcher, Marion W. Uhlschmidt, Frank A. Zurcher, LeRoy Dawson, Joe Fagan and Walter Deschner. Internment was made in the Whitesell family lot in Greenwood cemetery.