Surnames: MCGONIGAL

----Source: LOYAL TRIBUNE (Loyal, Wis.) 06/??/1937

McGonigal, Nellie (2 Jan 1862 - 3 Jun 1937)

Nellie McGonigal, known to many friends as "Miss Nellie", was born 75 years ago, Jan. 2, 1862, on a farm one-half mile from Newboro, Ontario, Canada.

It was here in the old homestead, which had been the birth of her six older brothers, that she spent the happy days of childhood and grew to young womanhood.

It was here she attended school and after graduation took up the duties of housekeeping to relieve an aging mother.

As the years passed by and the father and mother were called to Eternity, it became Nellie’s job to mange the farm with the aid of her brother and sister. Those were busy years filled with long hours of hard work, years which brought many changes and saw the entry of Canada into the World War, when the women were called upon to bring many sacrifices.

Nellie became, in spite of many other duties, an ardent Red Cross worker, knitting socks, mufflers, and doing all those thing which women of more leisure were doing.

During those years she also found time to be a member of the Canadian Women’s Club, of which she was President for many years and an active worker for the betterment of her home community.

In 1920 she, her sister Annie and brother William, came to Loyal, Clark County to keep house and make a home for her brother James, whose wife had passed away. Although it meant giving up the land of her birth, her home, which had been in the family for over a hundred years, her lifelong friends, Nellie did it with her customary cheerfulness and with the desire to be of service to others, which permeated all her doings.

Although she came to a strange land and among strangers, it was only a short time before Nellie had many friends. Her eternal spirit of youth, her love of people and her desire to be of service won her a place in her new home and many true friends.

She became a charter member of the Loyal Women’s Club, a member of St. Anthony’s Altar Society, a member of the Library board, an a social member of the Royal Neighbors. To all of these organizations she brought a willing desire to do her share and a little bit more, and she will be sadly missed in all of them.

She was taken sick with a very bad cold, which developed into pneumonia. Although it seemed she passed the crisis of pneumonia, an infection followed and all that loving care could do, was powerless to keep her with us and she passed to Eternity, Jun 3rd, at nine o’clock.