Madaline Alma Booth, the only child of Joe and Addabel (Eubank) Booth, was born July 11, 1905 in Kiowa County, Kans. She died in the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital Jan. 4, 1987 at the age of 79 years.She attended Booth Rural School until she was ready for the eighth grade. She then attended Wilmore schools for the next five years, living with her Grandmother Combs. After graduating from Wilmore High School in 1925, she attended Ottawa University graduating in 1929.
Madaline began her career as an English teacher in the Coats High School. The next year she began teaching the fifth and sixth grades in Wilmore.
In September of 1935 she married Walter Elwell and moved to Topeka.
In 1941 after the death of her father, she and Walter came back home to live with her mother. Soon after, Walter joined the army, and Madaline resumed her teaching career in the Wilmore schools.
During this time she took several extensive tours throughout the United States.
Madaline played a very active part in the Girl Scout organization and at the time of her death was serving on the Coldwater-Wilmore library board. She was a member of the Wilmore Baptist Church.
She lived many years in her grandmother's house in Wilmore and many neighborhood children will remember the many happy hours had spent there as she always had time to entertain them.
Madaline's only survivors are Booth and Eubank cousins.
The picture above is of the "Homemakers Sunday School Class" of the Wilmore Bapist Church, Wilmore, Comanche County, Kansas. The picture was taken in 1959. Members of the class are: Back Row: Lawrence York, Don York, Charlie Pendergraft, Pastor Ernest Lawrence, Warren Day. Center Row: Marie York (holding Kathy & Don's son), Kathy York, Ruby Booth, Bertha Richardson, Wilma Lee Timmer, Helen Pendergraft, Lena Day. Front Row: Madeline Ewell, Valtos Richardson, Fred Booth, Dewey Healan, Mrs. Healan. Madaline Elwell is buried in the Wilmore Cemetery.
Joseph & Addabel (Eubank) Booth, parents of Madaline Alma (Booth) Elwell.
The BOOTH Descendants of The Bairds of Lanarkshire in Comanche and Kiowa Counties, Kansas
Samuel & Christina (Baird) BOOTH, parents of Joseph Booth; paternal grandparents of Madaline Alma Booth.
TIGER 1953: The Wilmore School Yearbook, 1952-1953
Images of all 32 pages of the year book: Wilmore students, Seniors to First Graders, Administration members and Activities, courtesy of Doug & Rhonda Nickel.TIGER: The Wilmore, Kansas, School Yearbook 1958 - 1959
Images of all 23 pages of photographs of Wilmore students, Seniors to First Graders, Board of Education, Faculty and other school staff members, courtesy of Nancy Smith. More information and images of Madaline Elwell may be found in Comanche County History, p. 361, and Comanche County in Pictures, p. 34.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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