Wife of William Perry Wortman. Daughter of Tandy Allen and Joanna Smith Van Nice.

OBITUARY

THE RUSSELL UNION-TRIBUNE
Russell, Iowa
Thursday, July 30, 1936

LAST RITES HELD FOR MRS. WORTMAN

As evening came last Friday, funeral services were held for Mrs. W. P. Wortman, at the home in Malvern which she had spent the major part of her life in building.

Mrs. Wortman died the preceding Wednesday in the Clarkson hospital in Omaha, from injuries received received in an automobile collision near Plattsmouth, Nebr., in which her husband was killed and her daughter, Miss Helen Zene, and sister-in-law, Mrs. Fred Newell, were badly injured.

Gertrude Marion Allen, daughter of Tandy and Joanna Van Nice Allen, was born in the farm home of her parents near Russell, Iowa, March 21, 1871, the youngest daughter in a family of 12 children and died July 15, 1936 in Omaha.

She was educated at the Danville, Ind., normal college and at Highland Park college at Des Moines, where she met William Perry Wortman, whom she married Aug. 3, 1893. They began their family life together at Emerson, Ia., where Mr. Wortman was superintendent of schools, moving to Malvern two years later, where they have since resided.

Four children were born in this family: Helen Zene Wortman of Belton, Tex.; Jessie Carol Wortman of Birmingham, Ala.; William Perry Wortman, jr. of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Allen Wortman of Malvern.

The family moved to Edgar, Montana for 18 months a few years after their children were born, where Mrs. Wortman faced the hardships of pioneer life, frequently alone as Mr. Wortman was forced to return to Iowa to take care of business interests. Since that time she has resided continuously in Malvern were the education of her children, the building and developement of her home and activity in her church have been her major interests.

She united with the Presbyterian church early in life and joined the Methodist church at the time of her marriage. She taught Sunday school practically all of the time during her residence in Malvern.

She is survived by her children, her daughter-in-law, Mrs. W. P. Wortman, jr., a granddaughter, Beatrice Martha Wortman; four sisters, Miss Carrie Ellen Allen, Mrs. Isabel Goltry, Mrs. Adelaide Prather and Mrs. Louisa Johnson of Russell, Ia.; four brothers, Charles E. Allen, of Cozad, Nebr.; Dr. Lloyd Raymond Allen of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Fred H. Allen of Raymond, Nebr.; and Aylmer Jay Allen of Russell, Ia.

She worked side by side with her husband for nearly 38 years, sharing his successes and hardships at all times. Happy together in life, we believe they will be happier together as they start their new journey into the Great Beyond.