Spotlight #5 - Maude “LuLu” (Pfander) Budd

Claude Budd & Maude “LuLu” Pfander

I’m continuing my spotlight on women this March for Women’s History month. This blog post I’ve decided to spotlight Maude “LuLu” (Pfander) Budd, my husband Henry’s great grandmother. I remember seeing her in her wedding picture the first time and thinking they made such a striking couple and that she was absolutely beautiful.

Maude “LuLu” Pfander was born in November of 1888 to William E Pfander and Orelia (Evans)Pfander. I’m assuming she was born in either Jasper or Barton county as that’s where the extended family lived, but I don’t know that for a fact. She was the 4th of 5 kids and the only girl. I have to wonder if her brothers were the over protective type or if maybe she was a bit spoiled being the only girl.

LuLu Pfander as a child 

LuLu married Claude C Budd in 1916. The paper said they married at the parsonage in the Nashville community, Barton Co Missouri, in front of a large crowd. They would settle down and live in the Blue community, Barton Co, MO. The 1920 census showed them living in a household with Claude’s mother Mary, and his 2 siblings Phillip and Violet. Claude was shown as being a farmer, a profession he would have the rest of his life.

June 1917 would see the couple welcome their first child, a girl named Lena Avis. Unfortunately she would pass away approximately 5 weeks later in August. I know 100 years ago it was more common to lose a child, but I’m sure it wasn’t any easier on the the parents. I’m sure the grief would be overwhelming at times and there would be no support systems in place like there is today.

In 1918 they were blessed with another daughter, Edith Budd, my husband Henry’s grandmother. They would go on to have to have 2 more sons, Claude “Melvin” in1925, and Merle Rex in 1928. Merle’s nickname was “Buck” and he was born on Nov 25, 1928. Unfortunately shortly after his birth LuLu came down influenza which happened to be going around. Three days after Christmas on Dec 28 LuLu passed away. Her death left Claude a widow with 3 small children including one a so that was barely a month old. An obit from the Lamar, MO paper said:
:

SAD DEATH OF YOUNG MOTHER -----

Mrs. Claude Budd, who with her husband lived in the south part of Northfork township, just across the road from the Blue Schoolhouse, died at 9 o'clock, Friday evening. She contracted the flu, which developed into a fatal case of pneumonia. Mrs. Budd's death in most tragic and heart-breaking. She leaves her young husband with a tiny babe, five weeks old, and with two other little children, four and six years old.
Lamar Democrat, 3 Jan 1929

In a news clipping from around 2 weeks later said he had moved in with his mother though she was quite old being almost 80 yrs old. My husband’s grandmother Edith was 10 yrs old at the time and believe a lot of responsibility was put on her shoulders at a young age. It would be tough on a child to lose their mom at a young age. Having adult type responsibilities like taking care of your siblings would make it even tougher to grieve for your mother.

Obit from Jasper paper

Maude “LuLu” Pfander m Claude Budd
Edith Budd m Ray Arnold
Linda Arnold m Richard Morgan
Henry Morgan m Michelle Immekus (me)