Laurabelle Beulah (Bennett) Gossage (1923 - 2017)

Born 24 Dec 1923 in Newell, Butte, South Dakota, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Jerold Oliver Gossage — married 1 Nov 1946 in St. Maries, Benewah, Idaho, United States

Died 22 Apr 2017 at age 93 in Thurston County Washington

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Mary Gossage [send private message]

Biography

Early Years

Laurabelle Bennett was born in Newell South Dakota, the fourth of five children. The family moved to St. Maries, Idaho when she was a eight years old, working in the fields, as migrant workers, on their journey from South Dakota to Idaho. Her family was very close knit. She adored her nieces and nephews. She was the only one of her parents' children to move away. The families of the other children lived within three blocks of the parents, until her brother's family purchased rural property approximately two miles out of town.

Laurabelle survived a ruptured appendix when she was a young teen, and while in high school she had polio. She had to learn to walk again, and credited her brother with motivating her. She missed a year of school but returned to graduate with the subsequent class. She was in Drama Club during high school, and enjoyed her Typing, Shorthand, and Bookkeeping classes. Before she married, she worked as a waitress in St. Maries. After she was married and was a mother she worked as a Bookkeeper at Mosley's IGA grocery store in St. Maries. during the 1950s, and taught Sunday School class at the Prebyterian Church. Laurabelle and Jerold Gossage, son of Lloyd and Ethel Gossage, married 1 November 1946.

Married Years

When Jerold started working at Boeing, the family stayed with Laurabelle's Aunt Pearl Bennett, initially, after moving to the Seattle area. Shortly, they moved to a rental property in Foster, before buying a home in McMicken Heights in King County. They purchased a larger home, five years later, several miles south in preparation for two more additions to the family. Laurabelle worked in Seattle at the King County Library during the 1970s. Jerold and Laurabelle joined the Lutheran Church in the 1970s which they attended while living in King County Washington and after retirement Lewiston Idaho. Jerold's brother and his family lived in Lewiston, two of their sisters also moved to Lewiston after retirement. Laurabelle suffered from post-polio syndrome during their retirement years.

Laurabelle and Jerold met in 1946 at a dance in St. Maries at which her older sister was playing the Saxophone. They married three months later 1 November 1946 and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1996. They raised three children, two girls and a boy, the two youngest adopted as infants, and lived to know all five of their grandchildren. They were presented with a quilt at their 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration, well attended by family and friends, which was composed of squares provided by friends and family who each contributed a memory square which was made into a 50th anniversary quilt. After Jerold died Laurabelle lived next door to her second daughter and her family in Washington State.

1950 Census St. Maries Benewah Idaho^[1]

Jerold 28 born Idaho radio repairing electrical appliance shop

Laura B 26 born South Dakota

Mary 2 born Idaho

Sources

1. ↑ Jerold Gossage Family 1950 Census Idaho, Benewah County, St. Maries. April 1950, Line #23-25, House#303Washington, Serial #183. accessed 24 October 2022. note: local library access to ancestryheritagequest

• Personal recollection of a daughter ,M. Gossage.