Edith Aldis was born on October 1, 1874, in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. From 1885 to 1888 she attended Drake & Tonson's School, Keighley, Yorkshire, England. Prior and subsequent to that period, she pursued her education at home by private study and correspondence. According to her handwritten note to the Rev. Young, "I know I have the equivalent of a college education, in theology among other subjects, but I have nothing to prove it by according to American standards. I fear I must go down on your records as illiterate!" Aldis was first appointed to the Southwest Kansas Conference in January, 1936; in 1939 she was appointed to the Central Kansas Conference. A handwritten note from Aldis in the collection reads, "I served Baptist Churches in Kansas the ten years previous to 1936; Abbyville, and Hutchinson Berean." Aldis' record shows that she served at Heizer Methodist Church 1936-1942 and at Nashville Methodist Church 1943-1948. As far as can be ascertained, she was listed as a supply pastor during all those years. She retired in 1948 and died on October 4, 1968; she is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Topeka, Kansas. Rev. Edith Aldis was also an accomplished pianist who was involved with musical events in Hutchinson. She was probably related to concert violinist Maude Aldis, who is mentioned in the Hutchinson News (September 15, 1928) as visiting from England and playing violin at a social event, accompanied by Edith on the piano. Rev. Edith Aldis is also mentioned (Hutchinson News, February 25, 1942) as hosting her cousin, Dr. Catherine Mabie, a medical doctor and minister who served as a missionary to the Congo for 44 years. According to the Hutchinson News (July 11, 1936; June 25, 1939), Edith was the sister of Rev. Steadman Aldis, who served as pastor at Arlington, Kansas, and who (with his wife) was a missionary to India for 37 years. (Rev. Steadman Aldis does not appear in the archives.)

Note written by Sarah St. John