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Mennonite Weekly Review - November 2009
  Buller, Peter W.;   Classen, Edward R.C.;    Diener, Esther M. Swartzendruber;   Habegger, Loris;   Jerman, Pearleen M.;    Kaufman, Margaret A. Shetler;   Troyer, Byron Nortell;  

Mennonite Weekly Review - November 2, 2009 - 87th Year, No. 41 - p. 13

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Troyer, Byron Nortell


Byron Nortell Troyer, 91, of Kokomo, Ind., died Oct. 18, 2009. He was born July 8, 1918, to George Delton Troyer and Katherine Sommers Troyer in Amboy.

While still too young for school, his parents relocated to Dhamtari, India, in the south-central region of India. There he received his early education at Mount Hermon Boarding School. His secondary education was accomplished at Goshen College, where he studied to be a teacher. In addition he went to optical school in Chicago Optical, graduating in 1944, and continued his passion for the mission field. He met and married Helen Wilson, who died shortly after childbirth. While in optical school he also worked for the Mennonite Home Mission, where he met and later married Elda Kauffman in 1948.

He and Elda followed Dr. George D. Troyer to Puerto Rico to do both medical and mission work sponsored by Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities. He, his father and the other missionaries were successful in founding a church, Iglesia Evangelical Menonita, in 1959. After 15 years in Puerto Rico, in 1959 the family returned to the U.S., settling in Indianapolis, so the three children could continue their education.

He was saved at an early age in India. He was a member of Koinonia Mennonite Church and had been active as an elder in the past.

Survivors include three children, George, Elizabeth and Steven.

He was preceded in death by his sister Annabelle; his first wife, Helen; his second wife, Elda; and his daughter Karen.

Services were held at Parkview Mennonite Church in Kokomo.  Burial was in Mast Cemetery, where he was laid to rest beside his beloved wife, Elda, and where many generations of Troyers and extended family have been interred.


Mennonite Weekly Review - November 9, 2009 - 87th Year, No. 42 - p. 9

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Habegger, Loris

Loris Habegger
, 91, of Moundridge, Kan., died Sept. 30, 2009. He was born Jan. 9, 1918, to Arman and Hilegunda Sprunger Habegger in rural Berne, Ind.
He graduated from Monroe High School in 1935. He was an active member of First Mennonite Church of Berne. He entered Civilian Public Service in 1941, serving first with Indiana Fish and Game and then at Marlboro (N.J.) State Hospital. While serving in Marlboro he met Evelyn Regier, and they were married on Aug. 9, 1945.

After CPS, he and Evelyn moved to North Newton in 1945, where he completed his undergraduate degree at Bethel College. He served as pastor of First Mennonite Church, Halstead, 1947 to 1954; pastor of Wayland (Iowa) Mennonite Church, 1954-60; associate in development at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind., 1960-68; pastor of Grace Mennonite Church, Pandora, Ohio, 1968-72; General Conference Mennonite Church general editor in Newton, 1972-77; associate pastor at Eden Mennonite Church, Moundridge, 1977-82; and pastor of Zion Mennonite Church, Elbing, 1982-87. He also served interim pastorates at Trinity Mennonite Church, Hillsboro, and Goessel Mennonite Church. He participated in church and civic organizations, taught school in Halstead and Wayland, and pursued photography.

In retirement years he continued to be involved in Bethel College Mennonite Church. He was active in the Area Council on Aging, Northview Opportunity Center, Offender Victim Ministries, Lions Club and Meals on Wheels. He and Evelyn enjoyed trips to visit children and grandchildren and traveled to Switzerland and the Caribbean. They moved to Moundridge Memorial Home in early 2004.

Survivors include his sister, Helen Habegger of Berne, Ind.; his children, Arman and Sue Habegger, Pandora, Ohio, Bob and Lorna Harder, Hesston, and Richard and Carol Habegger, Winston-Salem, N.C.; five grandchildren and three great-granddaughters. He was preceded in death by his wife.
Memorial services were held at Bethel College Mennonite Church.

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Buller, Peter W.


Peter W. Buller, 84, of Elkhart, Ind., died Aug. 28, 2009. He was born Dec. 19, 1924, to Anna and Peter Buller in Chinook, Mont.

When the dust bowl hit, the family moved to Mountain Lake, Minn., where he lived through high school. He attended and graduated from Goshen College, New York Biblical Seminary, and from Princeton Theological Seminary with a masters of divinity degree.

He married Gladys Klassen on June 28, 1949.

Together they served as missionaries in the Congo under Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission from 1951 to 1987. There he started Christian high schools and engaged in evangelistic efforts in the interior of Congo. After his graduation from Princeton, he taught in the Pastors School of Theology in Congo from 1966 to 1987.
After his retirement in 1987, he pastored several churches, including the International Protestant Church of Kinshasa, Congo, Berkey Avenue Mennonite Church of Goshen and Olive Mennonite Church of Elkhart. His life was dedicated to building the church of Jesus Christ though sharing the Word of God through evangelism, preaching and teaching and through training pastors and church leaders. He was a member of Silverwood Mennonite Church.

Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Gladys; three children (all born in Congo), James P. Buller and his wife, Patty, and Charles P. Buller and his wife, Tracy, all of Goshen, and Jeannette Slater and her husband, Nathan, of Phoenix, Ariz.; and five grandchildren.
Funeral services were at Silverwood Mennonite Church.

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Diener, Esther M. Swartzendruber


Esther M. Diener, 86, of Archbold, Ohio, died Oct. 17, 2009, at the University of Toledo Medical Center. She was born Oct. 9, 1923, to Laban and Nanna (Bender) Swartzentruber in Altoona, Pa.

She married Edward Diener on May 7, 1944.

She lived at Clarence, N.Y., Hartville and Pettisville before moving to Archbold in 1998. Prior to her marriage, she was involved as a professional educator in five school systems at Haven, Kan., and Greenwood, Del. After marriage she taught at Alden (N.Y.) Christian School, 1953-56; Clarence (N.Y.) Public School, 1958-65; and Hartville Christian School, 1965-68. During most of her teaching years she taught classes in music and directed children and youth choirs. She also taught some classes in business education.

Her husband served as a pastor at Clarence Center, N.Y., Hartville and Pettisville. At each of these congregations she was active in Christian education of children and directed children and adult choirs. From 1973 to 1999 she was manager of Das Essen Haus Restaurant at Pettisville. This was followed by nine years as hostess of Diener’s Guest House. She also served as a board member of Four County Career Center in Archbold for the last 20 years. She was a member of West Clinton Mennonite Church in Wauseon.

Survivors include her husband of 65 years, Edward; three children, Larry Diener and his wife, Doris, of Sarasota, Fla., David Diener and his wife, Carol, of Fort Collins, Colo., and Diane Omondi and her husband, Ibrahim, of Nairobi, Kenya; a brother, Clayton Swartzentruber of Harleysville, Pa.; a sister, Dorcas Miller of Greenwood, Del.; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two step-grandsons and three step-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Margaret Diener; and four sisters, Mirian Hostetler, Dorthy Steckly, Rachel Schlabach and Vida Huber.
Memorial services were held at West Clinton Mennonite Church. Burial was in the Pettisville Cemetery.

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There were no obituaries in the November 16 issue of MWR.

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Mennonite Weekly Review - November 23, 2009 - 87th Year, No. 44 - p. 9

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Kaufman,
Margaret A. Shetler

Margaret Amelia Shetler Kaufman, 100, of Davidsville, Pa., died Oct. 18, 2009, at Windber Hospice of a subarachnoid hemorrhage sustained in a fall. She was born June 10, 1909, to Samuel G. and Maggie (Kaufman) Shetler in Hollsopple. She was the last surviving child of S.G. Shetler, a well-known teacher, preacher and evangelist in the Mennonite Church.

She married Calvin E. Kaufman, who preceded her in death in 1975.

She was a member of Carpenter Park Mennonite Church, where she and her husband were instrumental in changing the mission status into a church in Allegheny Conference.

Survivors include five children, Melvin Kaufman and his wife, Lois, of Goshen, Ind., Lorene Saylor of Hollsopple, Marvin Kaufman and his wife, Ruth, of Broadway, Va., Gerald Kaufman and his wife, Marlene, of Akron, and Rhonda Blough and her husband, Melvin, of Johnstown; a sister-in-law, Dorothy Shetler; 15 grandchildren; 38 greatgrandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Calvin; three sisters, Luella Miller, Rosella Bachman and Goldie Sala; a brother, Sanford G. Shetler; infant twin siblings, Ralph and Rena; a son-in-law, Merle Saylor, and a grandson, Lynn Douglas Kaufman.

Funeral services were held at Carpenter Park Mennonite Church.
Burial was in the Stahl Mennonite Cemetery.

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Classen,
Edward R.C.

Edward R. C. Classen, 87, of Hesston, Kan., died Nov. 13, 2009, at Schowalter Villa. He was born March 8, 1922, to Peter L. and Sarah Reimer Classen at Meade.

He had worked as a truck driver with King Construction Co. for more than 30 years. He was a member of Koerner Heights Mennonite Brethren Church of Newton and had volunteered at Victory in the Valley in Wichita for many years.

On July 30, 1944, he married Sara Reimer. She preceded him in death on April 2, 2006.

Survivors include three children, Regina Yoder of Newton, Marjorie Sommerfeld and her husband, Lyle, of Andover, and Dale Classen and his wife, Anita, of Salem, Ore.; two brothers, Levi Classen and Clarence Classen; five sisters, Agnes Schertz, Dora Ehmann, Alvera Thiessen, Linda Goossen and Evelyn Fisher; 12 grandchildren and 10 greatgrandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sara; a stepmother, Katherine (Isaac) Classen; four brothers, Henry Classen, Peter Classen, Harold Classen and Jake Classen; and one sister, Elizabeth Loewen.

Memorial Services were held at Schowalter Villa Chapel in Hesston.
A private family graveside service was held in Hesston Cemetery.



Mennonite Weekly Review - November 30, 2009 - 87th Year, No. 45 - p. 9

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Jerman, Pearleen M.


Pearleen M. Jerman, 82, of Beatrice, Neb., died Nov. 12, 2009. She was born Sept. 13, 1927, to George and Esther Geisler Jerman in Beatrice.
She was a graduate of Beatrice High School in 1947. She worked at the Beatrice State Developmental Center in the laundry department for 22 years, retiring in December 1991. She was a member of Beatrice Mennonite Church, where she had been a member of the church choir. She enjoyed sewing, music and her cats and was an avid Husker fan.

Survivors include a sister, Virginia Jerman of Beatrice; and a niece, Judy Gerntholz and her husband, Gregory, of Sanborn, N.D.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Arthur and Lawrence Jerman; three sisters, Marjorie Jerman, Catherine Remmers and Muriel Koebernick; and two brothers-in-law, Thomas Remmers and Melvin Koebernick.

Funeral services were held at Beatrice Mennonite Church. Burial was in Pleasantview Cemetery of rural Pickrell.


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