Sunday's Obituary: Claude Robinault

Baseball runs in my family, though I thought it was on my dad’s side only. Much to my surprise, I have now learned that one of my Robinaults was also a baseball player. At another time I will have to go into his career, but here I will transcribe how his career was cut short. His name was Claude Robinault, and he was the son of the subject of the last Sunday's Obituary post, Robert Robinault.

I have found a series of three newspaper articles regarding the end of his life, the first telling of his serious illness due to diabetes.

AT THE POINT OF DEATH

As we write Claude Robbinault lies at the very threshold of death and before this reaches our readers his soul will in all probability have passed away. For a year he has been a victim of diabetes although this last acute attack has been of but short duration. He has been in great agony for the past twenty-four hours and death will come as a welcome relief from suffering. Claude has been an industrious helpful young man, a great comfort to his parents and a favorite among his friends. Our hearts are with him and his loved ones as they pass through the Valley of the Shadow.

The second article confirms his demise, and includes a long obituary. Judging by the strange spelling errors in the secondary heading, I whimsically like to think that the typesetter, whoever he or she may have been, was overcome with grief and unable to concentrate on the job at hand.

DIABETES CLAIMS YOUNG VICTIM
STALWART YOUNG ATHTETE [sic] SUCCUMBT [sic] TO INSIDIOUS DISEASE.
ORA CLAUDE ROBINAULT DIES

Denison Home is Stricken and Many Friends Grieve for Prematurely Shortened Career.

On the morning of Thursday, Feb. 18th, the soul of Ora Claude Robinault winged its way from the pain wracked body into the bourne from which not traveller returns. In our last issue we told of the death angel hovering over the stricken home and e’er the Review reached its readers the hopeless agonizing struggle was at an end. Claude, as he was called by all his loved ones was a young man just a little less than twenty-eight years of age. He was born in Goodrich township in this county on February 26th, 1881. His was the life of the country lad, working and helping in the field and with the colors going to school in the winter months and making the best of the opportunities afforded him. In 1890 his parents Robert Gillispie and Mary Lee Robinault moved from the farm to Denison and Claude was then given opportunity to receive better school advantages. He attended the schools of Denison, completing the junior year in the high school but leaving them to take up the burden of life. He was a light hearted cheerful boy, doing his work as a painter well and proving himself to be superior in athletic sports; it was this that lead him finally into the semi-professional base ball ranks and he gained a reputation as one of the best and most dependable pitchers in western Iowa. In the last few years he played with Ida Grove, Lake View, Bassett, Neb., Green River Utah and with Denison. He made the Nebraska trip with the Denison team last year and did excellent work. The nomadic life of the ball player spoils many young men, but it did not spoil Claude, he was temperate in his habits kindly in his relations with others, quiet, trustworthy and altogether like able young man.

At Bassett he won the heart of Miss Gertrude E. Alderman and they were soon to have been married. It was about a year ago that he first learned that he had diabetes. He kept on with his work however and made a brave fight to overcome the disease. All this winter he had not been well but as late as Tuesday, February 16, he was down town bright and cheery as usual. Tuesday night he was taken violently ill and the final struggle lasted but forty-eight hours.

Claude was a good boy, a loving son, a conscientious worker, an honest lover. He had much to live for and many hearts are saddened by his going.

The funeral services were held on Sunday afternoon at the Baptist church, Rev. C. E. La Reau officiating and the large number present well testified the esteem in which he was held. Besides his parents Claude leaves two brothers, Charles and Raymond and his fiancee Miss Alderman, all of whom are heartbroken at his death. Mr. and Mrs. S. P. Alderman and Miss Gertrude Alderman of Bassett, Neb., and Mr. A. J. Robinault of Pritchard, Neb. were among those who came to be present at he [sic] obsequies. Our sincere sympathy goes to all the loved and loving ones.

Finally, his parents published the customary "Card of Thanks" for the sympathy they received.

Card of Thanks.

We wish to thank the friends for their sympathy and helpfulness during the sad hours of our bereavement.

Mr. and Mrs. Robt. Robinault and Family.

Sources:

"At the Point of Death," The Denison Review, 17 Feb 1909, p. 1, col. 4; digital images, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov : accessed 19 Jun 2022).

"Diabetes Claims Young Victim," The Denison Review, 24 Feb 1909, p. 1, col. 1-2; digital images, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov : accessed 19 Jun 2022).

"Card of Thanks," The Denison Review, 24 Feb 1909, p. 2, col. 5; digital images, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov : accessed 19 Jun 2022).