U. S. Army Nurse Clara Elizabeth Nebel
Born 30 September 1889, Montgomery Missouri
Died 16 June 1969, Montgomery, Missouri
Burial Site: Section V Site 1469
Clara Elizabeth Nebel was called into active service May 2, 1918 and served overseas between July 19, 1918 and March 12, 1919.i According to the U.S. Army transport lists she departed Boston, Massachusetts on the ship the Lancaster on July 19, 1918.ii Sometime after returning to the United States where she worked as a nurse and was active with the Red Cross and the state Nursing Association. She died in Montgomery, Missouri, June 16, 1969.iii
Various articles from Albuquerque newspapers provide a picture of Nebel’s activities and contributions to nursing in New Mexico between 1930 and the 1950s. In an article in the Albuquerque Journal she was described as being active in Red Cross work in the city.iv In an announcement of the Southwestern Presbyterian Sanatorium and Hospital Nebel was identified as Superintendent of Nurses for the facility.v It was around this period that she became active with the State Nurses Association. In 1935 she was elected as a director of the Association.vi A few years later she presented a paper on the Harmon Foundation for Nurses at the opening session of the annual meeting of the New Mexico Nurses Association. She was also identified as still serving as a director of the association.vii Although she seems to have ended participation in the state Nurses Association, she did not end her work as a nurse or her activities in the community. Described as “in charge of nursing at Presbyterian” she was quoted describing the shortage of nurses as critical in 1952.viii
Notes:
i WWI Army Nurse Cards
ii U. S. Army Transport Passenger Manifest
iii Newspaper Death Index, Montgomery City Standard (ancestry.com)
iv Albuquerque Journal, April 26, 1930
v Albuquerque Journal, April 9, 1933
vi Albuquerque Journal, May 4, 1935
vii Albuquerque Journal May 1, 1938
viii Albuquerque Tribune August 22, 1952
Find a grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3877005/clara-e-nebel
Prepared by Sue Taylor PhD, Central New Mexico Community College