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Submitted: 6/22/24 • Approved: 7/19/24 • Last Updated: 7/22/24 • R596657-G0-S3
1901 - 1921
*Obituary
Miss Ella Lena Durst, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Fritz Durst of Fly Gap on 20 November 1901 and departed this life at her home on Thanksgiving morning at 5 o'clock to live with the Angels in Paradise. Miss Ella had never been sick very much during her short life until last July when she contracted a fatal disease, which soon undermined her health. This lady was brought to Castell last fall, where she was carefully and patiently nursed at the home of Mrs. William Hony for over two months by Miss Reseda Hony, as the parents were anxious to have their daughter near a good physician. Miss Durst was a promising bride of one of our faithful young citizens, Mr. Alfon Dalchau, to whom she had given her trust for life. The wedding dad had been set for Thanksgiving, the day on which she died. The intended groom had purchased a house and was preparing a cozy home for the expected bride.
A short time before the death of this promising young lady, she was taken to her home, but only to go there to die. The remains were brought to Mrs. William Hony's home Thursday evening, and Friday, the body was laid to rest in the Casteel cemetery before a large concourse of sorrowing friends and relatives. Rev. Hardt, Rev. Moerner, Rev. Jordan, and Rev. Urbantke officiated the funeral service. Never has a death here affected so many people. It came like a bolt of destruction from a clear sky.
Survived by her parents; one brother - Fred Durst; five sisters - Mrs. Alvin Leifeste, Mrs. Elo Kothmann, Miss Cora Durst, Miss Reseda Durst, Miss Nell Durst.
Llano News
December 7, 1922
Contributed by Searchers of Our Past (47220553)
My great-aunt Caroline Ella was born in the Fly Gap Community and she died in the Fly Gap Community, Mason County, Texas.
She was the daughter of Frederick 'Fritz' Durst and Caroline Lena Bonnet Durst.
Ella attended nursing school in Austin, Texas. Shortly after graduation she became engaged to Alfon Robert Dalchau 1897-1967). But Ella became very ill and was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. She most likely contracted this disease from Edward William Durst, a first cousin and son of Wilhelm J. Durst and Wilhelmina 'Mina' Ahrens. Ella was initially cared for by her parents in their Fly Gap home, however as the illness progressed, she was taken to Castell where she was cared for by her mother and Reseda Houy in the home of Carl Frederich Wilhelm Houy and Johanna Buchholz, the adoptive parents of Ella's mother.When death became imminent, Ella was returned to her childhood home and there she died. After death, her body was returned to Castell and she was buried in the Castell Cemetery. A few years later, the rancher who owned the land that the cemetery was on demanded that the graves be moved and Ella's grave was moved to Art, Texas, where she now rests beside her parents, her sister Nell, and her brother Fred. Ella died on November 30, 1921. Her date of death was to have been her Wedding Day.
Photo courtesy of Annette Shaw
Contributed on 6/22/24 by hawkinsdonna48
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Record #: 596657
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