Claire Elizabeth Mendenhall (1926-2008)

 Today, I was researching a distant cousin- Claire Elizabeth Mendenhall and absolutely adore a picture of her that I came upon-- I had to write a blog post about her! 

Claire Elizabeth Mendenhall was on April 8, 1926 in Washington County, Ohio to Guy Marshall Mendenhall (1896-1976) and Margaret Madge Hendershot (1896-1972). Claire had 3 siblings: Claude E (1921-1982), Calvin Emmett (1923-1997) and June Marilyn (1931-2002).

This photo definitely needs to be cleaned up, but I am in love with it-- she looks absolutely glowing! 

Claire grew up in Lawrence, Ohio and attended the Holzer Hospital School of Nursing in Gallipolis, Ohio in February 1945.

U.S., WWII Cadet Nursing Corps Card 

On June 25, 1947, Claire married Carl Leslie Morris (1924-1994), son of Carl Edwin Morris (1901-1981) and Emma Osie "June" Bryson (1903-1969). 

Very Blurry Marriage License :(

About six months before their marriage, Claire gave birth to a son- Terrance Marshall Morris, on December 15, 1946 in Marietta, Ohio. He married and gave Claire 4 grandchildren. Terrence died on April 27, 2009 at the age of 62.

Terrence Morris

On February 6, 2008, Claire died in Marietta, Ohio at the age of 81 years old. She is buried beside her husband in the East Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Reno, Ohio. 

Obituary 

Gravestone (taken from Findagrave)

Chester Millard Mendenhall (1923-2003)

Today, I researched my 6th cousin, 3x removed- Chester Millard Mendenhall

Chester was born on November 20, 1923 in South Bend, Indiana to Millard Mendenhall (1903-1981) and Mabel Margaret Six (1902-1986). He had two siblings: Deloris Mable (1922-2001) and Richard Lee (born 1933).  

Family Photo
Date- Unknown
Chester, Millard, May and Deloris

Chester's Birth Certificate 

Census Records: 

1930, April 8- 1509 Huey St., South Bend, Indiana- Son- age 6; Living with Father (age 27), Mother (27), and Sister (7)- home is owned and valued at $600. His father was working as a carpenter. The house at 1509 Huey Street was built in 1944, so Chester's house is no longer there.

1940, April 4- Same address as above- Son- age 16; Living with Father (37), Mother (37), Sister (17) and little Brother Richard (6). His father is working as a millwright, Delores is working as a waitress for a cafeteria and Chester is working as a latherer in building construction. 

On August 10, 1940, Chester married May Eva True in St. Joseph, Michigan. May was born on February 18, 1923 to Leo Vern True (1900-1971) and Tressie Elizabeth Hofmeister (1902-1987). 

Marriage License for Chester and May

Together, Chester and May had 3 Children and at the time of Chester's death, 10 grandchildren: 

1. Carol Jean Mendenhall (1922-2001)

2. Dennis Eugene Mendenhall (born 1947)

3. Rebecca Sue Mendenhall (born 1952)

Chester died on February 24, 2003 at the age of 73. Cause of death was Sudden death syndrome due to critical non operative articular stenosis. He is buried beside his wife in the Southlawn Cemetery in South Bend, Indiana. 

Death Certificate 

My relation to Chester- 6th cousin 3x removed: 

Texas Birth Index- Mendenhall Surname, Part 22 (1930 & 1931)

 ~1930~

~Billie Earl Mendenhall- Unknown relation

Billie was born on April 10, 1930 in Plainview, Texas to Earl Mendenhall and Eula Linville. His sister's birth certificate was in the previous post- Here.

~1931~

~Belva Marie Mendenhall- 6th cousin, 4x removed 

Belva Marie was born on October 7, 1931 in Hedley, Texas to William Henry Mendenhall (1895-1981) and Ada Koger (1900-1980). She had 4 brothers: Kenneth, William, James and Warren.

On March 10, 1947, Belva married Rhuben Warren Johnson (1922-1978) and they had 4 children: 

1. Sharon Annette Johnson

2. Randy Warren Johnson

3. Ronald Wayne Johnson

4. Susan Carol Johnson

On September 23, 2016, Belva died at the age of 84 years old. She is buried in the Rowe Cemetery in Hedley, Texas.

~Elliott Mendenhall Jr.- 8th cousin, 3x removed 

Elliott Jr. was born on April 3, 1931 in Dallas, Texas to Dr. Elliott Marion Mendenhall (1899-1970) and Ruth Collins (1900-1989). He had one sister- Eleanor Ruth Mendenhall (1925-2014). Elliott was a cardiovascular surgeon and married 3x.

Elliott married Nancy Jane Peavy (1933-1968) on Aug 14, 1954. Together, they had 2 children: Elliott Craig and Catherine Ann. Elliott married secondly to Alma Elizabeth Glass on September 1969 and they divorced on January 4, 1977. Lastly, he married Charlene A. Sapp on April 19, 1994. 

Elliott died at the age of 70 on March 12, 2002 and was cremated. 

~Patricia Kathryn Mendenhall- 8th cousin, 4x removed 

Patricia was born on June 25, 1931 in Wichita Falls, Texas to Wayne Hollis Mendenhall (1911-1998) and Mildred Hawley (1910-1992). She had one brother: Ronald Wayne Mendenhall (1939-2011).

Patricia married Johnie Houston Adams Jr. (1930-2006) on May 6, 1954. Together, they had 2 sons: Mark and Bruce. 

On March 7, 2013, Patricia died at the age of 81. She is buried in the Holliday Cemetery in Holliday, Texas.

Texas Birth Index- Mendenhall Surname, Part 21 (1928 & 1929)

~1928~

~Doris Evylin Mendenhall- Unknown relation

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the connection between Doris and my tree. Her father was Earl C. Mendenhall, born 1902 in Hubbard, Texas (source- Mendenhall.org) and her mother was Eula "Bobbie" Linville (1906-1930). They were married December 25, 1923 and they had two children:

1. Doris Evylin- born 13 Jan 1928

2. Billie Earl Mendenhall- born 10 Apr 1930

I couldn't find any information on Earl's parents or beyond, so it's a dead-end for now.

~1929~

~Ann Shannon Mendenhall- 7th cousin, 5x removed 

Ann was born on October 9, 1929 in Fort Worth, Texas to Edgar Hewes Mendenhall (1898-1972) and Mary Ola Shannon (1899-1987). She had one brother- Shannon (born 1934).

(Picture from Southern Methodist University, 1951, Dallas, Tx)

Ann married Dr. Raymond Robert Gibbons (1929-2017) on July 24, 1953 in Dallas and they had 5 children: 

1. Raymond Robert Gibbons Jr. 

2. David Shannon Gibbons

3. Cynthia Ann Gibbons 

4. Michael Hewes Gibbons

5. Mary Marguerite Gibbons

Ann died on June 23, 2018 at the age of 88. She is buried beside her husband in the Calvary Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum in Dallas, Texas. 

~Frank Edward Mendenhall-

Frank was born on December 8, 1929 in Throckmorton, Texas to Claude Albert Mendenhall (1901-1976) and Anna Jewel Nichols (1903-1982). He had 2 siblings: Dorothy Mae (1924-2007) and Jesse Lawrence (1926-2001). 

Frank married on July 4, 1949 to Opal Mae Dodson (1931-2012) and they had 4 children: 

1. Douglas Wayne

2. Debbie 

3. Calvin Russell "Rusty"

4. Rita

Frank died on February 24, 2004 at the age of 74. He is buried in the Kingsland Cemetery in Kingsland, Texas.

~Warren H. Mendenhall- 6th cousin, 4x removed

Warren was born on July 22, 1929 in Hedley, Texas to William Henry Mendenhall (1895-1981) and Ada Koger (1900-1980). He had 4 siblings: Kenneth, William Clarence, James Douglas and Belva Marie.

Warren never married. He died at the age of 44 after being crushed by a horse while working on a cattle ranch in Memphis, Texas. He is buried in the Rowe Cemetery in Hedley, Texas.

~Mary Juanita Mendenhall- 8th cousin, 4x removed 

Mary was born on March 24, 1929 in Wichita Falls, Texas to Walter Lee Mendenhall (1902-1946) and Ollie Bell Wall (1903-1985). So far, I've found that she's an only child.    

On December 9, 1950, Mary married Rex Lee Pigmon (1927-2010) and they had 2 daughters- Vicki and Lisa.. I haven't found a death date for Mary.

Texas Birth Index- Mendenhall Surname, Part 20 (1927)

 ~1927~

~Mendenhall- (Female)- 7th Cousin, 3x Removed 

This Mendenhall was born on December 9, 1927 to John B. Mendenhall (1905-1945) and Johnie Buffington (1903-1968). I know they had a total of 6 children, but I don't know the name of this child born in 1927. 

~Robert Palmer Mendenhall- 6th cousin, 4x removed 

Robert was born on October 22, 1927 in Hardeman County, Texas to David Dewitt Mendenhall (1892-1967) and Nellie Lee Palmer (1900-1976). He had 2 half-brothers- Charles Dewitt (1916-1998) and William Dorris (1917-1939). He died at the age of 85 on October 18, 2013 in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

~Dorothy Fay Mendenhall- 5th cousin, 4x removed 

Dorothy was born on April 14, 1927 in Port Arthur, Texas to John Everett Mendenhall (1903-1979) and Frances Elizabeth Winters (1907-1991). She never married. On October 29, 2004, at the age of 77, Dorothy died and was buried in the Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches, Texas.

~Ralph Aaron Mendenhall Jr.- 5th cousin, 3x removed 

Ralph Mendenhall was born on February 2, 1927 in Wichita Falls, Texas to Ralph Aaron Mendenhall (1900-1983) and Daisy Cartwright (1903-1987). He had one sister- Lolita (born 1928).

Ralph married Patricia Ann McCart (1926-1983) and they had 2 sons: Joe Ray (b. 1954) and Lex Leroy (b. 1956). 

On April 3, 2008, Ralph died at the age of 81. He is buried in the Pond Creek Cemetery in Pond Creek, Oklahoma. 

Texas Birth Index- Mendenhall Surname, Part 19 (1926)

 ~1926~

~Helen Mendenhall- Unknown relation

Helen was born on 29 September 1926 in Nacogdoches, Texas to John Mendenhall (1888-1935) and Hannah Lewis (1894-1968). I couldn't find lineage past Helen's grandfather Jordan Mendenhall, so unable to connect my tree to her.

Helen married a Rogers and they had 4 children: Tim, James, Patricia and Debra. She died on 05 Feb 2004 at the age of 77 in Lufkin, Texas and is buried in the Forest Haven Cemetery in Diboll, Texas.

~Jesse Lawrence Mendenhall- 7th cousin, 3x removed 

Jesse was born on 27 October, 1926 in Throckmorton, Texas to Claude Albert Mendenhall (1901-1976) and Anna Jewel Nichols (1903-1982). He had 2 siblings: Dorothy Mae (1924-2007) and Frank Edward (1929-2004).

On 01 January 1943, Jesse married Leona Hester (1919-2006). I couldn't find any record of children born to this marriage. 

Jesse died on March 11, 2001 at the age of 74.

~Mendenhall- 

This Mendenhall is a duplicate record for the Helen- the first person mentioned in this post.