Born in Pawnee, Oklahoma, Audna Paulene Shoemaker was the second of six children of Frank Clyde Shoemaker and Dilla Mae Hanner Shoemaker. After her father's unsuccessful run for Congress in 1916, the family moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where Audna attended Central High School. Audna was active in student government and recognized as the "Most Beautiful Girl" of the school.
On December 31, 1923, Audna married Gilbert Gray Day, who was on the golf team at Texas Christian University. The couple lived in Eden, Texas, before moving to San Angelo, where Gilbert worked as a tailor and salesman at a clothing store. In 1927 they had a daughter, Jo Ann.
In November 1929, Audna took her daughter to visit Audna's parents and older siblings, who by then had moved to Los Angeles. With five friends, Audna traveled to a large ranch in Whittier, California, to attend a "hard times" party after a USC football game. Audna and her friends left the party sometime after 1:00 a.m. All six were killed in a collision with a train at an unmarked railroad crossing on Lakeland Road in Santa Fe Springs, California. The accident was reported in newspapers nationally. Audna's husband traveled to Los Angeles by train to retrieve Jo Ann, taking her to Eden where she would be raised for many years by Gilbert's parents.
Audna was buried on December 5, 1929, at Forest Lawn (Glendale). Her headstone can be found by taking the first right after entering the main entrance. Then take the next left and look for the Ferguson Monument (a large crypt) on the left. Audna's marker is about nine rows directly behind the Ferguson Monument and up the hill. About three rows higher, and to the right, is located the headstone for Edwin C. Bike, who was one of the six young people killed in the accident.
Born in Pawnee, Oklahoma, Audna Paulene Shoemaker was the second of six children of Frank Clyde Shoemaker and Dilla Mae Hanner Shoemaker. After her father's unsuccessful run for Congress in 1916, the family moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where Audna attended Central High School. Audna was active in student government and recognized as the "Most Beautiful Girl" of the school.
On December 31, 1923, Audna married Gilbert Gray Day, who was on the golf team at Texas Christian University. The couple lived in Eden, Texas, before moving to San Angelo, where Gilbert worked as a tailor and salesman at a clothing store. In 1927 they had a daughter, Jo Ann.
In November 1929, Audna took her daughter to visit Audna's parents and older siblings, who by then had moved to Los Angeles. With five friends, Audna traveled to a large ranch in Whittier, California, to attend a "hard times" party after a USC football game. Audna and her friends left the party sometime after 1:00 a.m. All six were killed in a collision with a train at an unmarked railroad crossing on Lakeland Road in Santa Fe Springs, California. The accident was reported in newspapers nationally. Audna's husband traveled to Los Angeles by train to retrieve Jo Ann, taking her to Eden where she would be raised for many years by Gilbert's parents.
Audna was buried on December 5, 1929, at Forest Lawn (Glendale). Her headstone can be found by taking the first right after entering the main entrance. Then take the next left and look for the Ferguson Monument (a large crypt) on the left. Audna's marker is about nine rows directly behind the Ferguson Monument and up the hill. About three rows higher, and to the right, is located the headstone for Edwin C. Bike, who was one of the six young people killed in the accident.
