Ruth Nell was approximately one year old when she succumbed to "dust pneumonia" a common ailment caused by dusty air inhaled during the dust bowl era. Her funeral took place in the Oklahoma Panhandle on Palm Sunday, April 13, 1935. On this day, thereafter called "Black Sunday", a large duster came through the area, darkening the skies, making it impossible to continue to the cemetery. It was a double funeral. The other family member was "Lou" Lucas, Ruth Nell's maternal great-grandmother. This story is paraphrased from the PBS special by Ken Burns "The Dust Bowl" as told by Ruth Nell's younger brother, Charles Warren "Chub" Shaw. The Shaw family owned a funeral home in Boise City, OK at the time of Ruth Nell's demise. Ruth Nell also had a sister, Jean Beth.
Ruth Nell was approximately one year old when she succumbed to "dust pneumonia" a common ailment caused by dusty air inhaled during the dust bowl era. Her funeral took place in the Oklahoma Panhandle on Palm Sunday, April 13, 1935. On this day, thereafter called "Black Sunday", a large duster came through the area, darkening the skies, making it impossible to continue to the cemetery. It was a double funeral. The other family member was "Lou" Lucas, Ruth Nell's maternal great-grandmother. This story is paraphrased from the PBS special by Ken Burns "The Dust Bowl" as told by Ruth Nell's younger brother, Charles Warren "Chub" Shaw. The Shaw family owned a funeral home in Boise City, OK at the time of Ruth Nell's demise. Ruth Nell also had a sister, Jean Beth.
