1888-1978

Esme Ruth (Peckin) Lichtfuss

Esme Ruth (Peckin) Lichtfuss
March 15, 1888 – May 3, 1978
Navy Nurse Corps, World War I

Born in England, Esme Ruth Peckin Lichtfuss immigrated to the United States in 1912—just two weeks after the Titanic disaster. She had connections to a wealthy family in Rhode Island who offered her a position in their household. After working for them for a time, Esme pursued her passion for nursing and entered training, graduating in 1917.

She began her nursing career at a Naval Base Hospital and later returned to England to serve during World War I. The ship she traveled on was part of a 17-ship convoy protected from German U-boats.

Esme’s first assignment was in Scotland, where she cared for wounded and ill soldiers. She went on to serve in a convalescent home for American soldiers and later worked at Base Hospitals No. 1 and No. 5 in Brest, France. Her courage and dedication also brought her to the front lines, where she treated the war’s most serious casualties.

In 1918, Esme assisted with the aftermath of the devastating Halifax Explosion in Nova Scotia, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history. Her final assignment was at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois.

While serving in France, Esme met Frank Lichtfuss. After the war, they married and settled on a farm in Delaware County, New York. Together, they raised two sons and built a life rooted in service and community.