The Winchester Star, 15 February 1963
SERVICES FOR EARL ENGLE
Funeral services were held Monday, February 11, at the Winchester Methodist church for Earl Engle, who died at the home Saturday morning after a long illness. His wife had been his constant companion during his long illness.
Rev. Frank Allen, Rev. R. W. Caskey and Rev. Stacy Ollar, Jr. had charge of the service.
Mrs. Homer Sloop, Mrs. Marie Riley, Mrs. Eldon Farris, Mrs. Jas. Macomber sang "Ivory Palaces" and "I Heard The Voice of Jesus Say" with Mrs. Neel Fulton accompanist. The beautiful floral offerings expressed the high esteem in which he was held.
Casket bearers were sons and son-in-laws:
Dr. Earl Engle, jr., Dr. Edward Engle, George Engle, Donald Barnes, William Simmons, Hal Pellow.
Burial was made in Nortonville cemetery
OBITUARY
Earl Engle was born northeast of Nortonville, the son of William E. and Grace Moxley
Engle, February 19, 1895 and died February 9, 1963 at his home in Winchester.
He was married December 27, 1922 at Castleton, Ill., to Myra Marie Brown. To this union 7 children were born, all of whom with his wife survive him. Four daughters, Mrs. Alice Pellow of Houston, Texas, Mrs. Eva Grubbs of Westminister, Calif., Mrs. Pauline Barnes of Topeka, Mrs. Ruth Simmons of Marysville, Mo., 3 sons, Dr. Edward Engle of Carthage, Mo., Dr. Earl Engle of Kansas City, George Bently Engle of Pittsburg, 1 brother, Claude of Topeka, eight grandchildren.
He was a member of the Winchester Methodist church.
*****
Here was a man who has worked and accomplished more in a quarter of a century than most persons with sight have done in a lifetime. This diligent gentleman has given comfort to others who thought life had ended because of blindness.
What has he been doing? Well, he has learned chair caning, rug weaving, mattress making, leather work, typing and basket making. He has made door mats, bath mats,k mops and a complete assembly of looms, threading and pattern weaving.
He was an accomplished violinist, a Sunday school teacher, and could easily write and read Braille. At the Kansas State Fair in 1936 he won first and second prizes for pattern rugs.
Mr. Engle's blindness began in 1933 and for the next four years he attended sessions of summer school in Kansas City State school for the blind.
In 1937, he was given complete charge of an adult education program in Valley Falls, Kas. For four years he taught "all sighted" people rug weaving, chair caning and mat making.
In 1949 Mr. Engle was a refreshment stand operator under the State Board of Social Welfare Division for the Blind in Lawrence and Topeka, Kansas
1949–1953. He had complete charge of buying and selling which included rolling of the money, making change and banking the day's receipts.
Basketball nets were made for the Kansas Industries for the Blind and distributed by Mr. Engle to the sporting good retailers throughout the middle west. He had made arrangements with florists and completely memorized all prices and items for sale. Orders were taken over the telephone and he had no trouble in dialing the phone.
The adult class of the Winchester Methodist church was taught by Mr. Engle for four years. Time and time again he has shown how blind persons can lead a useful and beneficial life both to themselves and to others.
Mr. Engle was elected Police Judge for city of Winchester and memorized all city ordinances. He fully enjoyed this responsibility.
Mr. Engle thoroughly enjoyed living, and wished to be an inspiration to others. He was a wonderful husband and father and his Christian way of life should make better any life that his way may have touched.
Mr. Had lived at Denison, Valley Falls, Topeka, Boyle, and Lawrence.