Blanche Beatrice Locke 1899 - 1940

BLANCHE BEATRICE LOCKE, was born 3 August 1899 in Charleston, Franklin County, Arkansas. She was the oldest of seven children born to John David Locke and Darthula Tucker.
By the time the 1910 Census was taken the Locke family had moved to McDaniels, McIntosh, County, Oklahoma. It was there that her siblings were born.

Lee and Blanche

Blanche married Lee Latimore Lumsden on
24 January 1921. They made their home in LeFlore County, Oklahoma and it was there that their eight children were born; Beatrice, Jodie, Bob, Billie Joe Carmelita, Dolores, Leon and Jimmy Dale. Sometime during the years that the Lumsden family lived in LeFlore County, Oklahoma, Blanche contracted a serious infection known as Tuberculosis which affected her lungs. The disease was highly infectious and was spread from one person to another through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes. For this reason Blanche was admitted into the Eastern Oklahoma Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Talihini Oklahoma. The sanatorium was used prior to the discovery of antibotics. It was believed that the only effective treatment for tuberculosis was bed rest, good food, and fresh air, which could take years to achieve.
Blanche gave birth to her last child, Jimmie Dale on 19 October 1940 while in the Sanatorium. She died seven days later on 26 October 1940. Lee's sister Jennie took the young child and raised him as her own.

Blanche Beatrice Locke

Eastern Oklahoma Tuberculosis Sanatorium

Blanche's death created a large void in her young family. While Lee tried to take care of their monitory needs, it left little time for nurturing. Lee was a coal minor and his job took him away from home. While he was gone Bea (Beatrice) and her husband Charles took the children in. Bea would have been only 18 at the time. Bill was 11, Carmelita 9, Dolores 7, Leon was only 5. The oldest boys Joe and Bob soon joined the army, The loss of their mother at such an early age had a profound impact on the Lumsden children. Blanche Beatrice Locke Lumsden is buried in the Old Bokoshe Cemetery in Bokoshe, Leflore County, Oklahoma.

Blanche (sixth person from left) N. W. Porch of the Eastern Oklahoma Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Talihina Oklahoma

DECENDANCY

Lee Latimore Lumsden (1896 - 1957) & Blanche Beatrice Locke (1899 - 1940)
Leon Cecil Lumsden

Lori Eileen Lumsden 

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