Emma E. Aguinaldo

Friday, March 28, 2008

July 10, 1911 - Dec. 12, 2007

Emma Evelyn Aguinaldo died Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007, at Cridersville, Ohio at the age of 96.

She was born July 10, 1911, at Atwood, the daughter of the late Clayton Albert and Mamie Ruth (Egelston) Martin. Emma grew up at McDonald, Kan., where she graduated from McDonald High School in 1931. She began teaching in a one room school house from several years to earn money to go to college. One of her duties in the early years was to come to school early and start the stove and warm the building in the winter before the students arrived.

She was courageous as she traveled by herself on a long sea voyage to the Phillippians, where she married Richard Aguinaldo on June 12, 1938. When World War II broke out, she had to leave their home while he remained to fight. She had no contact with him for two years after he was captured, but told everyone that she would know if he were not coming home and she never lost her faith that he would return to her, which he did.

Emma continued her education and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from College at Greeley, Colo., and her Masters Degree from the University of Kentucky at Richmond.

Richard and Emma came to live in Lebanon in 1960. Emma taught school in several communities and also privately taught piano and organ to many students.

She was the church organist at the Lebanon Presbyterian Church for many years and also served as the City Mayor of Lebanon.

Emma was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; three sisters, Hazel Clayton Schuyler and her husband, Dean, Lillie Carleton and her husband, Walt; and an infant sister, Rachel Martin.

Emma is survived by nieces, Cheryl White and husband, William of Frederick, Md., Connie Nelsen and husband, Robert of Lima, Ohio, Carla Carlton of East Lansing, Mich., and Cynthia S. Cooke and husband, William of Earlysville, Va., and nephews, Randall I. Schuyler and wife, LaVerne of Lancaster, Va., Greggory C. Schuyler and wife, Connie of Ballston Lake, N.Y., and Spencer H. Schuyler and wife, Yulia of Greenbackville, Va.

Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday at Lebanon Presbyterian Church with Keith Theobald officiating. Interment was in the Lebanon Cemetery on Jan. 11, 2008.

Herrman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.