Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 13:01:02 :
Independent Journal
Thursday, September 13, 1928
Page 1
Death Calls Leon Lancel -- Resident For Many Years
One of San Rafael’s bet citizens was suddenly called from his field of active work early Monday morning, when Leon A. Lancel, prominent insurance man, and building and loan official, of this city, while enjoying a vacation, was seized with a fatal heart attack, as he slept in his summer home at Bolinas, where he went with his family for a ten-day rest.
When the end came, his aged wife, his daughter and other members of the household were present. They heard him call, but by the time they reached his bedside he had sunk back upon his pillow. The final summons had come. Death had taken Leon Lancel, the active business man of a few days previous. He was 75 years of age. He had been a good and patriotic citizen of France in his youth. He was the same in his county of adoption – America – where he reared his family and grew up with the life and people of California. He had many warm friends and acquaintances in his home town and state.
When he members of the family recovered from the immediate shock, Mrs. Southworth, a neighbor at Bolinas, was called in, and Dr. H. O. Howitt, of San Rafael, the family physician was summoned.
Mrs. Lancel had not been well for several days prior to his death. Last Friday he complained of his health and during Saturday remained in bed. He and his family attributed his illness to something he had eaten, for Sunday during the day he left his room, and was about the house, in better spirit. As night approached, however, he retired early, saying that he was not feeling as well. Monday morning he was feeling better but remained away from the beach, where the rest of the family spent part of the day. He retired early Monday evening, but gave no outward signs of the fatal malady until about 1 a.m. Tuesday morning, when he called to his wife, sleeping near, but before she and other members of the family arrived, life’s cord has snapped and Leon Lancel was no more.
His body was brought to this city Tuesday, and placed in state at the family home on Fifth street, where numerous friends and acquaintances called to pay their respects to the dead and console the living, and place flowers upon the bier.
The funeral service was held today (Thursday) from the home, where Rev. John J. Canoles, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of this city read the ritualistic service of the church and offered a fervent prayer, and Dr. Lynn T. White delivered a eulogy. Following the service the body was taken to the California Crematory, at Piedmont.
The pall bearers were: Dr. Ernest Bradley, of St. Paul’s Church; Dr. H. O. Howitt, C. Warnecke, Dr. Robt. Furlong, Russell Warden and William Murray.
The surviving wife, Mrs. Christine B. Lancel, before her marriage was Christine Christenson, daughter of the late James Christenson, a member of one of the older families of San Rafael, and one of the founders of the Masonic Lodge in this section. It was through the Chistenson’s that Mr. Lancel, and his then young wife were first attracted to San Rafael about 48 years ago. Others surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Edmond Matignon, resident of Piedmont; the deceased’s mother, aged 94, residing with her daughter, Mrs. Jeanne Lancel of Alameda; a brother, Eugene Lancel, of San Francisco; two sisters living in France, Mrs. Juliet LeRoy and Mrs. Gabriale (sic) Kutz.
Leon Anselme Lance was born April 1, 1853 in Cambrai, France, near the border of Belgium. He was educated at Amiens, France, where he attended the government school, the “Lycee.” In 1868 he went to Barmen, Germany, where he took up the study of the German language, and then to London for one year where he perfected himself in English. Returning to France from London at the age of 17, young Lancel found himself in the midst of the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, and saw the fall of Sedan, at the hands of the Prussian army. He immediately volunteered for service for national defense, and joined with a special corps of the Frence National guard, around Amiens.
When this city surrendered to the Germans, the entire family left for America in August of 1872. He came with his father, mother, two brothers and three sisters. They arrived in Stockton, California, on September 7, 1872. From here the family moved to a ranch in Sonoma county, where young Lancel was engaged in the lumber mills of that section of the state until 1876, when he came to San Francisco, and secured employment as a court reporter. Here he married, and eighteen months later moved to San Rafael.
When he left San Francisco, his intention was to return to his native country with his bride, but circumstances developed which led him into the real estate, insurance, and later the founding of the Marin Mutual Building and Loan Association, of which latter concern he was the founder and its first secretary.
This association was the first of its kind to be established in California. Associated with Mr. Lancel for years, in this business, was Frank O. Sirard, who remained with him as chief clerk, up to a few years ago.
Mr. Lancel was considered one of the best judges of real estate values in this section, and he had often been called up to act as an official appraiser. He was most accurate in all his business dealings, and when once anything passed through his hands for inspection, it was always considered as correct by his clients and his business associates.
While Mr. Lancel never became a member of any of the fraternal organizations, he did become a member of the San Rafael Rotary Club, in which he took a great deal of interest, and exemplified in his own social and business life, those ideals and ethics practiced by faithful members of such organizations.
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