Whitesell-Somers Family Web Project - Person Sheet
Whitesell-Somers Family Web Project - Person Sheet
BurialMound Cemetery, 2583 6th Rd, Barnes, Washington County, Kansas [32467]
Flags Research Pending, World War I
FatherM. Barney GNAGY (1870-1939)
Mother“Lily” Lilly Eliza KINDEL (1878-1959)
Spouses
BurialMound Cemetery, 2583 6th Rd, Barnes, Washington County, Kansas [32468]
MarriageDec 24, 1919, Crete, Saline County, Nebraska [32467]
Obituary Online notes for Seigel Albert GNAGY
Seigel Albert Gnagy was born on October 2, 1895, in Barnes, Kansas. He was the oldest child of M "Barney" Gnagy and Lily Kindel Gnagy. Seigel married Minerva Elizabeth Kappel in Crete, Nebraska, on Christmas Eve, 1919. The couple had several farms in north central Kansas. When their last farm in the area, located near the town of Cleburne, Kansas, was threatened by flooding from the newly constructed Tuttle Creek Reservoir, the couple moved to Wichita, Kansas, in 1942. Seigel worked as a contractor building houses and at Boeing during that time until his death. In fact, he built their house on Grove Street.
Minerva especially loved Seigel's sense of humor. She told the story of her first meeting with Seigel's parents. She wanted everything to go perfectly which only resulted in her feeling awkward and tense. Sensing her anxiety, Seigel decided to break the ice at the dinner table by taking an opportunity with a butter plate strategically placed below her elbow. He dipped her elbow in it -- everyone had a good laugh and from that point on, the family welcomed her readily.
Seigel's children reported that he was a self-taught man with a life-long drive for learning. When they moved to Wichita and he decided to transition from farming to house-building, he purchased a book, sat down at the kitchen table, and taught himself trigonometry. The family wasn't surprised by that because it was a very typical thing for him to do.
During World War I, Seigel, along with his father, Barney Gnagy, and Ernest and August Gnagy, served as privates in Company B, 29th Battalion (Barnes) of the Kansas State Guard.
Seigel and Minerva raised four children to adulthood (lost three when children), and left behind eleven grandchildren. [32467]
Minerva especially loved Seigel's sense of humor. She told the story of her first meeting with Seigel's parents. She wanted everything to go perfectly which only resulted in her feeling awkward and tense. Sensing her anxiety, Seigel decided to break the ice at the dinner table by taking an opportunity with a butter plate strategically placed below her elbow. He dipped her elbow in it -- everyone had a good laugh and from that point on, the family welcomed her readily.
Seigel's children reported that he was a self-taught man with a life-long drive for learning. When they moved to Wichita and he decided to transition from farming to house-building, he purchased a book, sat down at the kitchen table, and taught himself trigonometry. The family wasn't surprised by that because it was a very typical thing for him to do.
During World War I, Seigel, along with his father, Barney Gnagy, and Ernest and August Gnagy, served as privates in Company B, 29th Battalion (Barnes) of the Kansas State Guard.
Seigel and Minerva raised four children to adulthood (lost three when children), and left behind eleven grandchildren. [32467]
Obituary Online notes for Minerva Elizabeth (Spouse 1)
Minerva Elizabeth Kappel Gnagy was born on July 15, 1896, in Barnes, Kansas. She was the oldest child of George McClellan Kappel and Ida Doerr Kappel. Minerva attended
Washington County Normal school and received her teaching degree in 1916. While attending college she worked at a casket company sewing linings and became a fine tailor. She transferred those skills to making many beautiful quilts later in life after raising four children to adulthood.
Minerva taught in the Barnes school district and married Seigel Albert Gnagy in Crete, Nebraska, on Christmas Eve, 1919. They were very happily married until Seigel's death in 1959, and she mourned him deeply until her own death. The couple had several farms in north central Kansas. When their last farm in the area, located near the town of Cleburne, Kansas, was threatened by flooding from the newly constructed Tuttle Creek Reservoir, the couple moved to Wichita, Kansas, in 1942. Seigel worked as a contractor building houses and at Boeing during that time until his death. In fact, he built their house on Grove Street.
Minerva was the type of person who populated the Mound cemetery with all of the peony bushes you can still see to this day. There was an article in a local paper about the beauty of the peonies there in spring, but she never took credit for all of her work. She insisted on our family taking her to on a spring pilgrimage to the Wee Kirk and the Redbud route in southeastern Kansas every year. Another of her family traditions was to decorate family graves every Memorial Day, where she would take great care in explaining the relationship of each and every person to her grandchildren. She was a very competent person and could grow and cook just about everything.
Minerva was probably the best grandmother anyone could ever hope for. She had endured some sad events (some typical and some atypical of the times) in her life and still maintained a steady disposition. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was ever the family historian. She instilled a sense of God and family in her grandchildren. Minnie spent many hours teaching us how to sew and cook, and always took time to play educational games with us. She taught us about life and was an incredible role model for us all, making certain we had enough practical, spiritual and emotional knowledge to cope with anything that might come our way. Minerva Gnagy will always be greatly missed. [32468]
Washington County Normal school and received her teaching degree in 1916. While attending college she worked at a casket company sewing linings and became a fine tailor. She transferred those skills to making many beautiful quilts later in life after raising four children to adulthood.
Minerva taught in the Barnes school district and married Seigel Albert Gnagy in Crete, Nebraska, on Christmas Eve, 1919. They were very happily married until Seigel's death in 1959, and she mourned him deeply until her own death. The couple had several farms in north central Kansas. When their last farm in the area, located near the town of Cleburne, Kansas, was threatened by flooding from the newly constructed Tuttle Creek Reservoir, the couple moved to Wichita, Kansas, in 1942. Seigel worked as a contractor building houses and at Boeing during that time until his death. In fact, he built their house on Grove Street.
Minerva was the type of person who populated the Mound cemetery with all of the peony bushes you can still see to this day. There was an article in a local paper about the beauty of the peonies there in spring, but she never took credit for all of her work. She insisted on our family taking her to on a spring pilgrimage to the Wee Kirk and the Redbud route in southeastern Kansas every year. Another of her family traditions was to decorate family graves every Memorial Day, where she would take great care in explaining the relationship of each and every person to her grandchildren. She was a very competent person and could grow and cook just about everything.
Minerva was probably the best grandmother anyone could ever hope for. She had endured some sad events (some typical and some atypical of the times) in her life and still maintained a steady disposition. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was ever the family historian. She instilled a sense of God and family in her grandchildren. Minnie spent many hours teaching us how to sew and cook, and always took time to play educational games with us. She taught us about life and was an incredible role model for us all, making certain we had enough practical, spiritual and emotional knowledge to cope with anything that might come our way. Minerva Gnagy will always be greatly missed. [32468]