header 1
header 2
header 3

In Memoriam

Lucille Neibling (Valedictorian) (Edwards) - Class Of 1924

Lucille Niebling, daughter of William F. (1879-1968) and Stella Margaret (Felton) (1879-1960) Niebling, was born 14 March 1906 Ingham County, Michigan.  Lucille was an only Neibling child to live to adulthood.  She had a brother who died as an infant.  William Niebling was a long-time rural mail carrier in Okemos.

Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Monday 9 March 1942

Patrons along the Okemos mail delivery route will miss the familiar face of William Niebling who was retired a few days ago after serving for over 36 years as the rural mail carrier out of Okemos.  In these years he has witnessed the great change that machines and improved roads have made in transportation, starting his work with horse and buggy or cutter over deeply rutted, muddy roads and deep drifts of snow which made the route sometimes a lengthy day's work, to the present time of hard-surfaced highways, snow-plowed in the winter.  Harold Voelker has been appointed to succeed Niebling as carrier.

Lucille graduated valedictorian of the 1924 class of Okemos High School.  By 1930 she was employed as a bookkeeper in the bacteriology building, Michigan State College campus.  On 2 July 1932 South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana, Lucille married Ogden Frazelle Edwards.  Frazelle, son of Ogden J. (1881-1960) and Sybil Leah (Woodworth) (1887-1970) Edwards, was born 26 April 1909 Michigan.  His father operated a funeral business in Leslie, Ingham County, for 44 years.

Frazelle graduated with a degree in microbiology from Michigan State College.  He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant Army Infantry Reserve (ORC) 19 June 1931.  He entered extended active military duty as a 1st Lieutenant 9 February 1942 and served 18 months overseas in England, France and Germany with the 98th General Hospital.  Major Edwards was honorably discharged from active service 24 February 1946.  He retired from the Army Reserves as a Lt. Colonel 30 June 1960.

Lucille and Frazelle had 2 sons, Garth Frazelle Edwards born 13 October 1934 and Roger Niebling Edwards 21 November 1937.

Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Monday 5 August 1940

Mr. and Mrs. F. Edwards and two sons have been visiting Mrs. Edwards' parents, Mr. and Mrs. Will Neibling, for five weeks.  Mrs. Edwards is the former Lucille Neibling of Okemos.

Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Friday 24 April 1942

Mrs. O. F. Edwards and children left Tuesday for Raleigh, N.C., where she will join her husband in camp.  Mrs. Edwards is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Neibling.

Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Tuesday 5 June 1945

EDWARDS - Word has been received by Mrs. O. F. Edwards of Okemos, that her husband, Capt. O. Frazelle Edwards, has been promoted to the rank of major.  Major Edwards who has been on active duty since February, 1942, and overseas for the past 15 months, is a bacteriologist with a general hospital in England.

Frazelle and Lucille moved to Kentucky and by 1959 Frazelle was Associate Professor of Bacteriology at the University of Kentucky.  Lucille died 14 November 1996 Fayette County, Kentucky. Frazelle died 12 August 1997 Fayette County.  They were buried in Glendale Cemetery, Okemos.