Obituary--Ralph Emerson Falknor

This obituary is one that surprised me as I read it. One of the sisters listed is my hubby's grandmother. It gives me the name of the town where their almond farm must have been in California. Since his father was a second spouse of the common ancestor I hadn't really done much work on this name. The serendipity of genealogy!

From the 30 April 1914 Fremont Times Indicator:

HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE PNEUMONIA VICTIM

Ralph E Falknor Died Friday at His Home in Dayton Township After Brief Illness.

The death of Ralph Emerson Falknor, prominent athlete of the Fremont high school, occurred Friday, April 24, at the home of his parents, Mr and Mrs Sylvester Falknor, in Dayton township, after a few days' illness from lobar pneumonia. He was 18 years, seven months and 28 days old.
Mr. Falknor was born in Almondale, Cal., August 27,1896, but of late years has lived on his parents' farm in Dayton township. He is survived by his parents, one brother, Rowel Falknor, and four sisters, Mrs Myrtle Walsworth, Mrs Olive Walsworth, Mrs Edrie Oneal and Miss Catherine Falknor.
Mr Vining, of the high school faculty, pays him the following tribute:
"In the death of Ralph Falknor, the local high school lost a student, athlete and friend who will never entirely be replaced. Entering the high school three years ago last fall, his work was that of a conscientious student, one who had a keen mind and was not afraid to use it to the best interests of his work. Questions put to Falknor were reasoned out, and those teachers associated with him were always sure of aworthy answer. As a student of physics this year, his mind took the research side and his laboratory work showed much thought and reasoning.
"Since first entering the high school he had been interested in athletics and as a member of the baseball and basketball squads had made good.
"Playing as third base in the former game he covered the position well in the field and was equally good at bat. In basketball he had held down a forward's position for two seasons and played the game well. As in his studies, so he was in athletics, a clean, consistent player, playing the game to the end, and whether victory or defeat, took it like a man.
"As a fellow among the fellows, he was popular. Always a good mixer, full of life and happiness, his going has wounded many hearts in the local high school. Ralph was always considerate of his fellow students and ready to lend a helping hand where needed the most. His associations with the younger students was a moral benefit to them, for being a boy with excellent habits, he was of the nature to impress upon those around him the needs of good living. His passing from the student body has taken an influence that was doing good always for the betterment of the school and his fellow students."
The funeral services were held Monday afternoon from the Methodist church and were conducted by Rev. R. A. Thibos, pastor of the Church of Christ. The auditorium was filled wi sorrowing young friends of the deceased. His companions on the basketball team acted as pall bearers. Following the services the body was taken to the Evans cemetery in Dayton for burial.

It was very interesting to find this and to see this younger brother of my husband's grandmother was born during their brief stay in California. (Lost almond ranch due to drought.) As I read the names of sisters and mentally matched them to the family tree it was great to find more information on the family, who had only been names on paper, but now a little more real.