Coon Rapids Enterprise August 19, 1993

Funeral, services were held Friday, August 13 for Myrtle Cretsinger, 107; who died on August 10, 1993 at Thomas Rest Haven. Rev. Ron Graham officiated the 2:00 p.m. services from the First Christian Church. Lois Shirbroun was organist and Sam and Corrine Cretsinger served as vocalists singing "Ivory Palaces" and "In The Garden". Interment of the cremairis was in the Coon Rapids Cemetery. Myrtle, daughter of Charles and Kate Caruthers Thomas, was born April 17, 1886 at Kirkman. She attended rural, school near Kirkman. At the age of 15, as the oldest, of seven children, Myrtle became responsible for caring for her brothers and sisters after her mother's death. During this time the family moved to a farm near Coon Rapids. In 1909, Myrtle was united in marriage with Herbert "Dude" Umbaugh. They made their home in Coon Rapids and one child, Irene, was born to this union. Myrtle and Dude also raised her youngest sister's two children, LaVerne and Ilene. Myrtle also cared for her father for 27 years after he became blind as a result of an eye injury. After the death of her first husband, Myrtle was united in marriage with Bert Howell. They made their home in Coon Rapids. After Bert's death, Myrtle was united in marriage, with Earl Cretsinger. They lived on his farm for a couple of years and then returned to her family home in Coon Rapids. Myrtle remained there until 1990 when she entered the Thomas Rest Haven. She was a homemaker and served as a midwife in the Coon Rapids community, as well as helping others with their homemaking chores. She was a member of the First Christian Church. Myrtle had been in failing health since her 100th birthday and died at the Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids on Tuesday, August 10, 1993 at the age of 107 years, three months, and 24 days. Besides her three husbands and her parents; she was preceded in death by three brothers: George, Lewis, and Charles Thomas, and by three sisters: Blanche McCanley, Flossie Cully and Lenora Belli. Survivors include her daughter, Irene Hathaway of Coon Rapids; a niece; Ilene Neal of Carlisle; a nephew, LaVerne Steward, of Tacoma, Wa.; two grandsons; Tom Hathaway and his wife, Nancy, and Jim Hathaway and his wife, Yvette; eight great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; three step-daughters: Geneva Schreck, Eleanor Yager, and Helen Long, and their families, all of Coon Rapids; a stepson, Kenneth Cretsinger and his family of Washington; other nieces, nephews, and friends.