Shamokin News Dispatch, April 16, 1964

Earl E. Strausser

Former Fire Chief In Township Dies

Earl E. Strausser, 73, of 839 West Lynn Street, a former Coal Township fire chief, died last night in Shamokin State General Hospital where he had been a patient since Monday.  Known familiarly to firemen as “Big Six,” Mr. Strausser had been hospitalized previously from January 26 to February 21.

Born in Locust Dale, June 15, 1890, Mr. Strausser was a son of the late George and Minnie (Derk) Strausser.  He attended school in Locust Dale and moved to Shamokin with his parents when he was a boy.  He worked as a miner at area collieries.

Mr. Strausser was married in Shamokin to the late Martha May Bradigan, who died August 29, 1960.  He served as Coal Township fire chief during the year 1950 and was a 40 – year member of Maine Fire Company.  He was a member of Poor Shot Hunting Camp, also.

Survivors include the following children: Miss Vivian Strausser, at home; Mrs. George (Peggy) Nahodil, Levittown; Earl (Sam) Strausser, Shamokin; four sisters, Mrs. Verna Brubaker, Trevorton; Mrs. Pearl DeClercq, Jacksonville, Fla.; Mrs. Miriam Kaseman and Miss Alma Strausser, Shamokin; two brothers, Elmer, Brighton, Mich., and Charles, Crosswell, Mich.; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are in charge of Lucas Funeral Directors.  Details appear on page two, column one.

Obituaries can be of great help, especially for finding the marriage name of a female that may have disappeared.  While obituaries can be a wonderful find for both family members and the family historian, the above obituary is a perfect example of why they cannot be considered absolute fact.  This obituary states that Peggy (Strausser) Nahodil is the daughter of Earl; the first problem with this is that Peggy is a nickname and the other issue is that she was not his biological daughter.  Earl’s brother had died many years prior and Earl and his wife took Peggy in and raised her as their own.  Without knowing this information, a family tree would end up all out of whack.  This is my go-to obituary to always remember that obits are helpful tools and not primary sources.

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