Marquis

Lowa (DeMoss) and Gurnea Marquis

          Charles Gurnea Marquis was born on February 28, 1893, the son of William and Aravilla (Kilgore) Marquis.  He married Addie Leah Holloway, daughter of T.W. and Sarah Ann (Mumford) Holloway on May 31, 1917. Addie was born April 25, 1882.  She gave piano lessons in Woodburn.  Addie died February 16, 1920, at their home in Jackson Township of tuberculosis shortly after Gurnea’s return from service in World War I.  Addie is buried at the Woodburn Cemetery.  

            Gurnea married Lotishia Laura “Lowa” DeMoss on February 27, 1922, at Woodburn.  Lowa was born February 18, 1901, the daughter of Plez and Anna (Swank) DeMoss.  She was educated in the Otley, Knoxville, and Woodburn schools.  As a young girl, she worked in the grocery store for Clyde Hill, receiving $11.00 a week.  Lowa took piano lessons from Gurnea’s first wife, Addie.  Lowa and her mother were baptized into the Woodburn Christian Church in 1917.  She was a member of the Ladies’ Aid at the church. 

            Gurnea was a member of the Woodburn Methodist Church, where he sang in the choir with Jack Cline and Lew Terhune.  Gurnea worked in the meat market several years but chose to be a barber.  He worked at Weldon for Mattie Manley in her grocery store.  After three years there the family moved to Woodburn.  He took his barber schooling in Davenport, Iowa. On his days off he enjoyed riding the riverboats and would eat his lunch for 15 cents. 

            Gurnea was a barber all of his life.  After cutting the children’s hair, he would give them 5 cents for an ice cream cone.  He never charged the preachers for their hair cuts and shaves.  When living in the Methodist parsonage, they rented upstairs rooms and boarded school teachers.  Later they started a cafe on the south side of Main (Sigler) Street.  The barber shop and cafe were located in the same building.  If Gurnea was not busy barbering, he would help Lowa in the cafe. Gurnea was appointed postmaster at Woodburn on July 1, 1944, and worked in the post office for 15 years.  Lowa became a clerk in the post office in 1945.   She worked with Gurnea there for the next fourteen years until his retirement in 1959. 

            Gurnea was a veteran of World War I and an active member of the Masonic Unity Lodge No. 212, A.F. & A.M. at Woodburn, V.F.W. and the Woodburn American Legion.  He enjoyed baseball, reading, dancing, and in later years, traveling.  He was a devout Democrat, but always stood behind the man in the office.  Lowa kept a spotless house and was a wonderful cook. She enjoyed embroidering, crocheting, and dancing.   Gurnea died on December 23, 1962, and Lowa died on December 10, 1982.  They are buried at the Woodburn Cemetery.    Their children: Paul Roger, Marney Eugene and Gloria Jean [Steele].