And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish.

Ella Delate Hodgkin, born in Nora, Illinois, April 9, 1858, was the second daughter of Mary Hall Delate and William Delate, pioneers who moved westward from England. Early in her teens her family moved on into Kansas. There she received more schooling, and then taught. In 1881 she married Charles Hodgkin of Norton, Kansas. In Norton her daughter, Mary was born. Pioneers always, they moved to Bartley, Nebraska. There in 1884 her second daughter, Maud, was born. Left a widow when her children were still babes, Mrs. Hodgkin resumed her teaching, a career which she followed for over thirty years, the last years of which were spent in Farnam.

She moved to Scottbluff in 1914 and lived there until eight years ago, at which time she went to California to be near her granddaughter, Mrs. John C. Long, at Fontana, and later moved with her to Pala.

Preceding her in death are her husband, three sisters, and one brother. She leaves to mourn her passing the two daughters, Mrs. Mary Walker of Denver, Mrs. J. A. Wood of Escondido, her grandchildren, Mrs. Loyal Warner of Denver, Mrs. John Long of Pala, Francis Wood of Gering, Rhea Marie, Dean and Leo Wood, and six great grandchildren. She was deeply devoted to her family. She leaves many sorrowing friends.

“She loved to laugh, and when she came,
A flicker, as of a happy flame
Sprang swiftly up, re-echoing,
As one bird’s song makes others sing,
O, laughter is a blessed gift,
Heals many a hurt, mends many a rift;
She used to laugh, and so she lent
To other lives her merriment.”

The Farnam Echo 35(23):1, Thursday, February 9, 1939