MYRTLE DENFIP

Myrtle M. Denfip, 94, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Jan. 19, 1998, at the Lutheran Home.

She was born Oct. 14, 1903, in Olive Branch, Ill., daughter of Frank and Octavia Brown Denfip.

Denfip attended school in Olive Branch; graduated from St. Mary's School of Nursing in Cairo, Ill., in 1926; attended San Antonio Junior College and Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, Texas; Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind., and Austin Peay College in Clarksville, Tenn.

She had been a registered nurse at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver, Colo., St. Mary's Hospital in Cairo, Illinois Society for Prevention of Blindness, Illinois State Department of Public Welfare, and had been director of Southern Illinois Trachoma Clinics.

Denfip entered the U.S. Army in 1942 and was assigned to the 16th Evacuation Hospital, Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, Ill. She served as head nurse in the U.S. Army Dental and Orthopedic Clinics in Africa, 16th Evacuation Hospital in Italy, was supervisor of the EENT Clinics at Valley Forge Hospital in Pennsylvania and at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.

She also had been supervisor of U.S. Army Central Material Section of the 171st Evacuation Hospital in Korea, was head nurse at U.S. 343 General Hospital at Camp Drew in Japan, was supervisor and chief nurse of Station Army Hospital in Fort Campbell, Ky.; and had been head nurse at 2nd General Hospital in Landstuhle, Germany, and at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Denfip retired in 1962 from the Army with the rank of major.

She later began a second career with the Department of Public Health in Will County, Ill., retiring in 1971.

Denfip is listed on the Washington Memorial for Military Women in Washington. She was a member of American Nurses Association, American Red Cross Nursing Services, Reserve Officers Association, Business and Professional Women's Association, Olive Branch Chamber of Commerce, and Olive Branch Methodist Church.

Survivors include two sisters, Pauline Ambler and Ruth Murphy of Cape Girardeau.

Friends may call at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms from 5-8 p.m. Thursday.

Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jerry Herring officiating. Burial will be in Olive Branch Cemetery.