Stella Gilbert Drury Merrill, died Yakima September 16, 1944
Mrs. Estella Merrill, 80, died Saturday morning in Yakima. She was born in Minnesota and had lived in this community for 50 years.
Members of her family include one son, Fred Drury of Seattle; a sister, Mrs. W.J. Morrison of Buena; two brothers, C.L. Gilbert of Union Gap and C.N. Gilbert of San Pedro, Cal; one niece, Mrs. Martin Bjer of Yakima; a nephew, Charles Morrison of Zillah and one grand child.
Langenvin-Meyer has charge of arrangements.
Funeral services will be held at the Christian Scientist church.
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The third Little House on the Prairie girl, Stella Gilbert, lived on a claim north of the Ingalls in De Smet. She was reportedly exceptionally attractive and extremely interested in Almanzo Wilder. Stella likely convinced Almanzo to take her on several buggy rides, which were described in These Happy Golden Years. Almanzo, who was not aware of a conflict between Stella (Nellie in the books) and Laura; eventually became aware of Stella's fear of horses (which greatly disappointed him). In addition, Laura finally gave Almanzo an ultimatum regarding Stella, and Almanzo's invitations to Stella to join them on the rides stopped. This was the last appearance of a "Nellie Oleson" in the Little House on the Prairie series.
Stella's older brother was Dave Gilbert, the brave young man (he was 17 at the time) who made the very risky run to Lake Preston, Dakota Territory on his horse-drawn sled between blizzards to take the outgoing mail, and bring back the incoming mail as described by Laura in The Long Winter. William F. "Fred" Gilbert, was another brother of Laura's friend, Stella Gilbert, in DeSmet, on whom Laura later admitted to having a crush. The Gilbert and Ingalls families actually knew one another in Wisconsin and Minnesota before moving to DeSmet. Stella Gilbert played a small part in the creation of Nellie Olsen. It was she who Almanzo asked to go buggy riding with Laura and himself, and Stella openly flirted with Almanzo in front of Laura.
Stella died in 1944. She was 80 years old
Mrs. Estella Merrill, 80, died Saturday morning in Yakima. She was born in Minnesota and had lived in this community for 50 years.
Members of her family include one son, Fred Drury of Seattle; a sister, Mrs. W.J. Morrison of Buena; two brothers, C.L. Gilbert of Union Gap and C.N. Gilbert of San Pedro, Cal; one niece, Mrs. Martin Bjer of Yakima; a nephew, Charles Morrison of Zillah and one grand child.
Langenvin-Meyer has charge of arrangements.
Funeral services will be held at the Christian Scientist church.
-----------------------------------------
The third Little House on the Prairie girl, Stella Gilbert, lived on a claim north of the Ingalls in De Smet. She was reportedly exceptionally attractive and extremely interested in Almanzo Wilder. Stella likely convinced Almanzo to take her on several buggy rides, which were described in These Happy Golden Years. Almanzo, who was not aware of a conflict between Stella (Nellie in the books) and Laura; eventually became aware of Stella's fear of horses (which greatly disappointed him). In addition, Laura finally gave Almanzo an ultimatum regarding Stella, and Almanzo's invitations to Stella to join them on the rides stopped. This was the last appearance of a "Nellie Oleson" in the Little House on the Prairie series.
Stella's older brother was Dave Gilbert, the brave young man (he was 17 at the time) who made the very risky run to Lake Preston, Dakota Territory on his horse-drawn sled between blizzards to take the outgoing mail, and bring back the incoming mail as described by Laura in The Long Winter. William F. "Fred" Gilbert, was another brother of Laura's friend, Stella Gilbert, in DeSmet, on whom Laura later admitted to having a crush. The Gilbert and Ingalls families actually knew one another in Wisconsin and Minnesota before moving to DeSmet. Stella Gilbert played a small part in the creation of Nellie Olsen. It was she who Almanzo asked to go buggy riding with Laura and himself, and Stella openly flirted with Almanzo in front of Laura.
Stella died in 1944. She was 80 years old
Stella Gilbert Drury Merrill, died Yakima September 16, 1944
Mrs. Estella Merrill, 80, died Saturday morning in Yakima. She was born in Minnesota and had lived in this community for 50 years.
Members of her family include one son, Fred Drury of Seattle; a sister, Mrs. W.J. Morrison of Buena; two brothers, C.L. Gilbert of Union Gap and C.N. Gilbert of San Pedro, Cal; one niece, Mrs. Martin Bjer of Yakima; a nephew, Charles Morrison of Zillah and one grand child.
Langenvin-Meyer has charge of arrangements.
Funeral services will be held at the Christian Scientist church.
-----------------------------------------
The third Little House on the Prairie girl, Stella Gilbert, lived on a claim north of the Ingalls in De Smet. She was reportedly exceptionally attractive and extremely interested in Almanzo Wilder. Stella likely convinced Almanzo to take her on several buggy rides, which were described in These Happy Golden Years. Almanzo, who was not aware of a conflict between Stella (Nellie in the books) and Laura; eventually became aware of Stella's fear of horses (which greatly disappointed him). In addition, Laura finally gave Almanzo an ultimatum regarding Stella, and Almanzo's invitations to Stella to join them on the rides stopped. This was the last appearance of a "Nellie Oleson" in the Little House on the Prairie series.
Stella's older brother was Dave Gilbert, the brave young man (he was 17 at the time) who made the very risky run to Lake Preston, Dakota Territory on his horse-drawn sled between blizzards to take the outgoing mail, and bring back the incoming mail as described by Laura in The Long Winter. William F. "Fred" Gilbert, was another brother of Laura's friend, Stella Gilbert, in DeSmet, on whom Laura later admitted to having a crush. The Gilbert and Ingalls families actually knew one another in Wisconsin and Minnesota before moving to DeSmet. Stella Gilbert played a small part in the creation of Nellie Olsen. It was she who Almanzo asked to go buggy riding with Laura and himself, and Stella openly flirted with Almanzo in front of Laura.
Stella died in 1944. She was 80 years old
Mrs. Estella Merrill, 80, died Saturday morning in Yakima. She was born in Minnesota and had lived in this community for 50 years.
Members of her family include one son, Fred Drury of Seattle; a sister, Mrs. W.J. Morrison of Buena; two brothers, C.L. Gilbert of Union Gap and C.N. Gilbert of San Pedro, Cal; one niece, Mrs. Martin Bjer of Yakima; a nephew, Charles Morrison of Zillah and one grand child.
Langenvin-Meyer has charge of arrangements.
Funeral services will be held at the Christian Scientist church.
-----------------------------------------
The third Little House on the Prairie girl, Stella Gilbert, lived on a claim north of the Ingalls in De Smet. She was reportedly exceptionally attractive and extremely interested in Almanzo Wilder. Stella likely convinced Almanzo to take her on several buggy rides, which were described in These Happy Golden Years. Almanzo, who was not aware of a conflict between Stella (Nellie in the books) and Laura; eventually became aware of Stella's fear of horses (which greatly disappointed him). In addition, Laura finally gave Almanzo an ultimatum regarding Stella, and Almanzo's invitations to Stella to join them on the rides stopped. This was the last appearance of a "Nellie Oleson" in the Little House on the Prairie series.
Stella's older brother was Dave Gilbert, the brave young man (he was 17 at the time) who made the very risky run to Lake Preston, Dakota Territory on his horse-drawn sled between blizzards to take the outgoing mail, and bring back the incoming mail as described by Laura in The Long Winter. William F. "Fred" Gilbert, was another brother of Laura's friend, Stella Gilbert, in DeSmet, on whom Laura later admitted to having a crush. The Gilbert and Ingalls families actually knew one another in Wisconsin and Minnesota before moving to DeSmet. Stella Gilbert played a small part in the creation of Nellie Olsen. It was she who Almanzo asked to go buggy riding with Laura and himself, and Stella openly flirted with Almanzo in front of Laura.
Stella died in 1944. She was 80 years old
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