Ida May SCHENCK

Abt 1925 - 2012  (~ 87 years)

• Name	Ida May SCHENCK
  Born	Abt 1925
  Gender	Female
  _UID	E4F9329780ACD611B6E884765B86FE346433
  Died	23 Jul 2012	Pensacola, Florida, USA   [1]
  Buried	1 Aug 2012	Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, Florida, USA
  Person ID	I4966	YoungFamily
  Last Modified	25 May 2018

  
  

  Father	Mortimer Verland SCHENCK,   b. 15 Jul 1899, Darrtown, Butler, Ohio, U.S.A. ,   d. 4 Apr 1981, Miami, Dade, Florida, U.S.A.  (Age 81 years)
  Mother	Ethel May DEACON,   b. 13 May 1902, Merrimac, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, U.S.A. ,   d. 9 Oct 1987, Pensacola, Escambia, Florida, U.S.A.  (Age 85 years)
  Married	6 May 1924	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
  _UID	E2F9329780ACD611B6E884765B86FE346213
  Family ID	F1823	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Joseph John CALDER,   b. 15 Jun 1930,   d. 29 Sep 2013, Pensacola, Florida, USA  (Age 83 years)
  Married	1952
  _UID	E9F9329780ACD611B6E884765B86FE346983
  Children	1. Living   2. Living   3. Living   4. Living
  Last Modified	15 May 2022
  Family ID	F1830	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  I first learned of Ida Calder (nee Schenk) during the last week of June 2002 through a rather obscure genealogical bulletin board posting on Genealogy.com. Ida had responded to another individual who was interested in the surname of Deacon originating in Kent, England. Ida responded by saying that her grandmother's parents were Elizabeth Gregory and George Duncan who had both been born in Faversham, Kent. Below are two of the messages that I found on the Deacon Family Message Board. "Thanks for the reply. I'm in Pensacola, Fl but my Gfather emigrated to the USA in the late 1800's from Faversham Kent England. He was born Sep 12, 1864 and died Sep 02, 1943. He was married to Edith G. Duncan and had 10 children by her and one daughter from a previous marriage whose wife died in childbirth. I know little of my Gfathers family except that his father was William Deacon and his mother was Mary Jane Moore. If you run across anyone like this let me know. Thanks again for you note. Ida Calder I am searching for information on Alfred James Deacon's family. He was born in Faversham, Kent, England on Sept 12, 1864 and died Sept 2, 1943 in Norristown, Pa." I immediately attempted to contact Ida via the email address that she had posted - the postings were from November and December 2001 but I had hoped that she still had the same email. My emails were returned to me as undeliverable so I first contacted the list owner of the Deacon Board. He was very enthusiastic and even made a few address searches for me but unfortunately turned up nothing. Other than to say that Ida had obviously changed internet service providers. At that point, 1 July 2002, I was a little stymied for a next move in an attempt to locate Ida Calder. As her message had indicated that she was in Pensacola, Florida I started my search for her on all of the usual genealogical websites for Florida and Escambria County. I also tried searches for Norristown, Pennsylvania and Montgomery County. But none of the usual genealogical sources were helpful. I then ran a telephone directory search for the Calder surname in Pensacola and, Voila!, Ida's address came back. I did not want to write to her directly as the first contact so I continued to search through various Escambria County websites and eventually stumbled onto the site of the Escambria County Offices. What an amazing search that turned out to be. Florida has now passed a law that records of all public matters - such as court records, both civil and criminal; traffic violations; official records such as building and bylaw infractions - be placed on-line and fully searchable and viewable by all by 2006. Escambria County is amongst the most progressive and I turned up an enormous amount of data concerning Ida Calder and was even able to develop a short tree of her, her husband and several of her children and grandchildren through the documents that are on-line. During this search I realized that I was probably in search of a lady in her mid-70s and I became very hesitant about contacting her directly via the post. The last document on the Escambria County Clerk's website was dated during April 2002 and naturally many things could have transpired in the intervening months. So I kept searching through Florida websites and eventually came up with the Penscola News Journal, the local newspaper. Again, the Penscola News Journal site proved fruitful. After searching through all of the obituaries from April to July 1, 2002, I decided to send an email message to the editor of the genealogy column. I asked if it would be possible to place a few lines seeking contact with Ida Calder in that column. On July 5, 2002 the editor wrote back to me saying that she would be happy to assist. Evidently, my request was published in the Sunday edition on July 14, 2002 as on July 22 I received a very nice letter from Ida enclosing a wealth of details concerning the Duncan family. Most of the information provided in the notes that are attached to the children of Elizabeth Gregory and George Duncan were provided to me by Ida Calder. I have added the additional details concerning the emigration of Martha Duncan after searching the Ellis Island website.

  
  

• Sources

  [S109] Obituary, Pensacola New Journal, Florida, USA, 29 Jul 2012. Ida's Obituary Ida Mae (Schenck) Calder 1925-2012 Ida Mae (Schenck) Calder went to her eternal peaceful rest Monday, July 23, 2012, at the age of 86. A native of Miami, FL, she studied Theology at Central Bible College in Springfield, MO before serving as a missionary in Jamaica. A recipient of the Florida House of Representatives Teacher's Scholarship, Ida continued her education at the University of Miami, Coral Gables and the University of Florida, Gainesville where she studied Elementary Education. In 1950 Ida Mae Schenck enlisted in the Air Force achieving the rank of Sergeant; after completing Officer Candidates School at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, she was commissioned as an officer. She achieved the rank of First Lieutenant and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal before marrying a fellow military man, her husband of 60 years, Joseph John Calder. Honorably discharged in 1955 she continued to serve her family and her country as Ida and Joe started a family and traveled across the United States and Japan. The family settled in her husband's native Pensacola in 1972 where she worked at the County Tax Collectors Office and finally retired from the United States Postal Service. She contributed to and was a member of the Women in Military Service for America memorial and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Preceded in death by her father, Mortimer Verland Schenck Sr, mother Ethel May (Deacon) Schenck and her brother, Mortimer Verland Schenck Jr.,all of Miami, FL. She was deeply loved and will be sorely missed by her children; Brenda (Alan) Fox, Bruce Calder, Melody Calder and Mark (Janette) Calder. Affectionately known as "Honey" by her 9 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren listed in birth order; Karen Calder Fox, Kimberly (Paul) McKeever, Jenna Calder, Elizabeth Ashley Fox, Courtney Calder, Damon Bair, Geoffrey Calder, Corey Calder, Caroline Calder, Cloe Noel Fox, Joseph Bair, Mes'ke Os'ke Calder, Peyton Bair, Ue-rak'ko Os'ke Calder, baby McKeever. Graveside services will be Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 2:00pm at Barrancas National Cemetery with Chaplain Jim Dixon officiating, along with military honors. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial gifts to the Covenant Hospice @ www.covenanthospice.org/pensacola/ Special Thanks to Jim Dixon and Covenant Hospice staff and nurses. HARPER-MORRIS MEMORIAL CHAPEL is in charge of arrangements.