Flossie Fern (Gordon) Langdale (1892 - 1993)

Born 25 Jan 1892 in Nebraska, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Harry Allen Langdale — married 29 Apr 1911 in Beatrice, Gage, Nebraska, United States

Descendants

Died 31 Aug 1993 at age 101 in Orange, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Anon Langdale [send private message]

Biography

Flossie was born in 1892. She passed away in 1993.

Buried in:

Harbor Lawn-Mount Olive Memorial Park

Costa Mesa, Orange County, California, USA

Orange County Register, Sunday February 2, 1992

Friends, family help celebrate woman's 100 years of life.

Costa Mesa -- At 100, Flossie Fern Langdale claims niacin is the key to life. But two of the Costa Mesa resident's seven children say there's more to it than a daily dose of Vitamin B supplement.

"She's lived so long because she's very independent," said Velma Scheve, 73, Langdale's oldest living child. Whatever the reason Langdale's life has stretched across two centuries, she remains spirited as ever, cooking and clothing herself in her one-bedroom home. Here, pictures dot the walls, providing glimpses of early life in Costa Mesa, where Langdale settled in 1936 with her husband, Harry, and five younger children.

They migrated from Beatrice, Neb., during the Depression seeking work, first in Long Beach, then in Costa Mesa, which was nicknamed "goat hill" because of an abundance of goats. Scheve and Robert Langdale, now deceased, found jobs at Gingham's restaurant and Gisler farm and encouraged their parents to move closer. Once they did, Harry Langdale opened a meat-market in the Red and White Store at 18th Street and Newport Boulevard. it was one of the two grocery stores -- Safeway was the other -- in town. A post office, TeWinkle's Drugstore, a pool hall and bar also were on what is now the city's east side. At the time, fields sprawled west of Newport Boulevard.

The Langdale's purchased their first home at 169 Flower st. for $2,000 and sold it 27 years ago, after Harry Langdale died. A recent trip through the house brought tears to Flossier Langdale's eyes, Scheve said.

Although the house and most of the city has undergone vast changes since Flossie Langdale first arrived, she said she still likes the area. "There are more people, more excitemnt", she said. "It's a good little town. I have a lot of friends who play cards." A noted "500" and "Crazy Eight" card-game player, Flossie Langdale was a regular among the Costa Mesa Senior Center groups until a year ago.

It was a common sight to see her hunched over weeds in her front yard or pushing a lawn mower. But failing health now makes the work difficult. "I'm just slowing down," she said. Still, she spends her days cooking, reading her Bible, watching game shows and often entertaining friends. In addition to the trash collector and mailman, Mildred Kolves, 83, counts herself among Flossie Langdale's friends. She has visited her nearly every day for the last 15 years, Kolves said. She described her friend as a "witty" woman who reminds her of her own mother, who lived to about 99. "I guess that's one reason I take to her," Kolves said.

Last week a constant stream of visitors from Nebraska and Oregon proved tiring for Flossie Langdale. The visitors were in town to celebrate the centenarian's life and good health in what has become an annual tradition. "Something about her that just attracts everybody," said Jim Langdale, 58, who owns and lives in the house next door to where his mother lives. Among Langdale's 17 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great-grandchildren, city officals proclaimed Jan. 25, 1992, Flossie Fern Langdale day.

Notes

Although, it is reported that Harry and Flossie moved to California in 1936, I believe that was when their children Robert and Ethel moved. There are newspaper reports of Harry and Flossie living in Nebraska through 1938. Stories of the youngest child, Betty, being driven to California in a shoebox, shortly after birth, are probably related to a joint trip to settle Robert/Ethel in California and not the final trip for the family. Perhaps, Betty at 2 years old still needed to be secured in the car and some type of modified seat was created and the story became a bit embellished.

DNA

• Paternal relationship is confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between John Kurtz and C Langdale third cousin's 2x removed. Their MRCAs are second and fourth great grandparents, respectively, Nicholas Bowlus and Margaret Donnel. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 4th Cousins, based on sharing 55 cM across 4 segments; Confidence: Very High.

Sources

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3BS-V7F : accessed 19 July 2018), Flosie F Gordon in household of Harry Gordon, Midland Township (excl. Beatrice city), Gage, Nebraska, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 59, sheet 1A, family 7, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,928.
• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ML46-4TR : accessed 19 July 2018), Flossie Gordon in household of Harry Gordon, Midland, Gage, Nebraska, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 63, sheet 1A, family 5, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 846; FHL microfilm 1,374,859.
• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCK1-6Z3 : accessed 29 May 2018), Flossie F Langdale in household of Harry A Langdale, Richland, Saunders, Nebraska, United States; citing ED 162, sheet 2B, line 81, family 48, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1001; FHL microfilm 1,821,001.
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQ24-WNH : accessed 20 December 2018), Fern F Lengdale in household of Harry A Lengdale, Mission Creek, Pawnee, Nebraska, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 6, sheet 1A, line 19, family 5, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1289; FHL microfilm 2,341,024.
• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K94Z-3YL : 14 March 2018), Flossie F Langdale in household of Harry A Langdale, Newport Beach Judicial Township, Orange, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 30-54, sheet 2A, line 4, family 25, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 273.
• California, Death Index, 1940-1997
• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 29 May 2018), memorial page for Flossie Gordon Langdale (25 Jan 1892–31 Aug 1993), Find A Grave: Memorial #37714857, citing Harbor Lawn-Mount Olive Memorial Park, Costa Mesa, Orange County, California, USA ; Maintained by Dorothy Sparks (contributor 47129025) .

• "United States Census, 1950," Costa Mesa, Orange, California, United States