Hancock County Historical Society
Carthage, IllinoisSiegfried XIX
Page 298CHARLES DAY
Charles Gittings Day, Jr., aged 20 years, 9 months and 2 days, died at the St. Francis hospital in Macomb, Ill., on Thursday, Aug. 15, 1935, at 7:30 a. m., after being in an unconscious state since an automobile accident Monday, Aug. 12 about 1:30 a. m. In the accident the car was turned on its side, pinning Charles beneath, crushing his chest and causing undetermined head injuries.
Charles was born on Friday, Nov. 13, 1914, on a farm five and one-half miles northeast of Yuma, Colo., being the second child of a family of six children, the youngest dying in infancy. His older sister, Dorothy Rubie, preceded him in death, having died in the St. Francis hospital, Macomb, in March, 1922.
He lived in Colorado with his parents, Charles and Mary Gittings Day and two sisters, until his sixth year, when in March the family moved to a farm northeast of Arnold, Kas. It was there he started to Lone Star school.
On Dec. 24, 1924, Charles' mother died and he came to Illinois where he lived with his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Leland Hobart of near Fountain Green. While there he attended Fountain Green grade school four months and Pennsylvania three years.
In September, 1928, he went to live with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Day of near Majorville church. He attended Walnut school during his eighth year of schooling. He then attended Fountain Green high school three years and was a graduate of a class of twelve in 1932. His favorite sport in high school was basketball. At home he took great pride in his hound and raccoon hunting.
In August of 1930 when Charles' younger brother, Fay, was severely kicked by a mule, it was Charles' immediate action and presence of mind which secured help to take him to the hospital, which probably saved Fay's life.
The summer of 1932 Charles spent with his father in Kansas. He enjoyed his senior year of high school at La Harpe, where he stayed with Mrs. Lillie Melvin.
On Sept. 11, 1933, Charles joined the United States army and departed for Des Moines, Ia. Soon after he was sent to Fort Riley, Kans., where he became a private of Hq. Hq. Btry. & C. Tn. 1st Bu. 14th F. A. Since April, 1934, he had been working in a tailor shop at the Post and was buying an interest in it. He was making many plans for the future as his army service would have been ended a year from this September.
Charles leaves to mourn his death, his father, Charles Day, Arnold, Kans.; sister, Mary Elizabeth Day, brothers, Fay and Clarence Day; grandfather, J. W. Day; grandmother, Mrs. Anna Gittings, LaHarpe; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.
A short service was held at the home when Miss Martha Willis played an appropriate organ selection and prayer was offered by Rev. Keith Loveless. Later memorial services were conducted at Majorville at 2:30 p. m. by Rev. Loveless and interment was at Majorville.
