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Mennonite Weekly Review - November 2007 
  Graber, Robert Mae ;  Habegger, Marden Carl Jantze, Lola Mae Eicher;   Lapp, Erma Mae Hertzler Stoltzfus;   Miller, Freddie J.;  Sommers, Nellie Margaret;   Walks Along, Victoria Long Jaw Wiebe, Robert B. “Bob ;    Yoder, Illa Mae Erb;   
Mennonite Weekly Review - November 5, 2007 - 85th Year, No. 45 - p. 9

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Lola Mae Jantze, 92, of Milford, Neb., died Sept. 28, 2007, at Seward Memorial Hospital. She was born Oct. 21, 1914, a twin, to Warren and Anna (Kremer) Eicher on a farm west of Milford.
She attended Pilot Knob Country School and later Milford Public Schools. She accepted Christ as her Savior and was baptized at Milford Mennonite Church, where she was a faithful member for many years, teaching Sunday school and serving as a song leader. She later became a charter member of Beth-El Mennonite Church.
On July 24, 1932, she married Lee Jantze. Their six children included a set of twins.
They lived most of their married life in the Milford area. In 1982, she moved from the farm into town, and in December 2004 she made her home at the Greene House in Seward. In 2006 her health required that she move to assisted living at Seward Memorial Hospital.
Her family was very important to her, and she loved having them in her home. She thrived on entertaining guests. She enjoyed sewing clothes for the girls, raised a large garden and shared her produce with others. Her faith in Christ was strong, and prayer was important to her. She loved music, sang in trios and sang a cappella, took piano lessons and played by ear.
Survivors include three sons, Larry Jantze and his wife, June, of Coppell, Texas, Maurice Jantze and his wife, Linda, of Milford, and Joseph Jantze and his wife, Mary, of Normal, Ill.; two daughters, Marilyn Eberspacher and her husband, Ron, of Milford, and Sherry Fougeron and her husband, Ken, of Lincoln; a sister, DeElda Hershberger of Milford; 13 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lee, in 1975; a son, Jackie; brothers Merle and Ben Eicher; her twin sister, Lela Hershberger; and a daughter-in-law, Alberta Jantze.
Funeral services were held at Beth-El Mennonite Church. Burial was in Milford Mennonite Cemetery.

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Robert B. “Bob” Wiebe, 86, of Newton, Kan., died Oct. 7, 2007, at Newton Presbyterian Manor. He was born April 23, 1921, to Henry and Ruby Ensz Wiebe in Buhler.
He served in the military during World War II.
Beginning in 1966, he worked for 30 years as a printer for the former Herald Publishing Co., the publisher of Mennonite Weekly Review.
He belonged to Newton Bible Church.
On Jan. 25, 1946, he married Rozella “Rosie” Schmidt in Newton.
Survivors include his wife, Rozella; a son, Charles Wiebe of Garden City; a daughter, Judith G. Mace of Newton; a brother, Lewis Wiebe of Houston; a sister, Alvera Schmidt of Newton; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Austin Wiebe; and a sister, Lorna Wiebe.
Funeral services were held at Newton Bible Church. Burial was in Restlawn Gardens of Memory in Newton.

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Erma Mae Stoltzfus Lapp, 91, of Dock Woods Community in Lansdale, Pa., died Oct. 26, 2007. She was born to John M. and Lena (Swartzentruber) Hertzler in Morgantown.
She graduated from Morgantown High School in 1935. Prior to her marriage she was a seamstress in a factory in New Holland.
She married E. Frank Stoltzfus, who preceded her in death in 1975. She then married I. Wilbur Lapp, who preceded her in death in 1995.
She and her first husband had a dairy route in Warwick before they began operating a farm near Oley, where she lived from 1947 to 1979. She was a member of Oley Farms Women’s Society and Oley Mennonite Church, where she was a Sunday school teacher and member of the sewing circle. After her second marriage, she joined Methacton Mennonite Church in Fairview Village.
She was unusually talented and creative in quilting, crocheting, sewing and knitting, and her handmade items are treasured heirlooms. She loved music, and during her youth sang alto in the Morgantown chorus and sang four-part harmony all her life. She was president of Montgomery County Quilt Society and enjoyed playing card games with her friends at Dock Woods. She was an avid flower and vegetable gardener.
Survivors include three sons, William F. Stoltzfus and his wife, Ruth, of Winfield, Donald L. Stoltzfus of Reading and Robert T. Stoltzfus and his wife, Joyce, of Columbia; two stepchildren, Nancy L. Falconer and her husband, William, of Sierra Vista, Ariz., and Will T. Lapp and his wife, Jackie, of Sellersville; a sister, Cora Umble of Atglen; five grandchildren and four step-grandchildren.
In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by a brother, Ralph S. Hertzler; and four sisters, Linda A. Lapp, Mabel Landes, Grace Stoltzfus and Alta Hertzler.
Funeral services were held at Dock Woods Community Chapel in Lansdale. Burial was in Oley Mennonite Cemetery.

Mennonite Weekly Review - November 12, 2007 - 85th Year, No. 46 - p. 12

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Freddie J. Miller, 89, of South Hutchinson, Kan., and formerly of Haven, died Oct. 30, 2007, at South Hutchinson Mennonite Manor. He was born Aug. 1, 1918, to N.E. and Edna Shrock Miller in Reno County.

He married Mildred Ramer on Dec. 29, 1946, in Harper County.

He was a farmer and stockman, a resident of the Haven community until the last seven years, when he moved to South Hutchinson. He was a member of Yoder Mennonite Church. He was a past member of the Haven School Board, Haven Tree Board and the Valley Township.

Survivors include five nephews, Weldon Diener and his wife, Judy, of Hutchinson, Arlan Yoder and his wife, Ila, of Hesston, Ron Diener and his wife, Marilee, of Goshen, Ind., Terry Diener and his wife, Julie, of Goshen, Ind., and Marvin Diener and his wife, Lessie, of Gardner; two nieces, Arnella Lindsay and her husband, Mark, of Bel Aire, and Marlene Boese and her husband, Gary, of Hesston; and a brother-in-law, Melvin Yoder of Hesston.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred, on Aug. 7, 1999; and by three sisters, Susie Miller, Erma Diener and Cleo Yoder.

Funeral services were held at the South Hutchinson Mennonite Church Yoder Campus.

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Illa Mae Erb Yoder 79, of Kalona, Iowa, died Sept. 27, 2007. She was born to Louis and Mabel Roth Erb in rural Seward County, Neb.

On Dec. 7, 1947, she married D. Paul Yoder.

The couple started their home in Iowa, and she joined Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church, where she was active in the WMSC. They served the community in many ways, including volunteering at the Crowded Closet, cooking apple butter for the MCC sale and the Fall Festival. They served for nine years with the Rio Grande Habitat for Humanity in Texas. She enjoyed quilting and baking rolls.

Survivors include her husband, D. Paul Yoder of Frytown; six children, Jerry Yoder and his wife, Marcia, of Loveland, Colo., Mary Holsopple and her husband, Elroy, of Goshen, Ind., Merle Yoder and his wife, Linda, of Driggs, Idaho, Ellsward “Pete” Yoder and his wife, Barb, of Goshen, Rhonda Polizzotto and her husband, Greg, of Highlands Ranch, Colo., and Kevin Yoder and his wife, Bekkey Wiebe Yoder, of Lakewood, Colo.; two brothers, Milton Erb of Casa Grande, Ariz., and Ron Erb of Milford, Neb.; 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by two daughters, Diane Yoder and Charlene Miller.

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Marden Carl Habegger, 90, of Reedley, Calif., died Oct. 30, 2007, at Reedley Hospital. He was born Feb. 21, 1917, to Alfred and Barbara Habegger in Bluffton, Ohio.

He was raised in Montana, where his parents were missionaries to the Cheyenne Indians. He graduated from Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., in 1938. Here he met his future wife, Marianna Ensz. They were married Dec. 30, 1939, while he was in medical school at Northwestern University in Chicago.

He graduated from medical school in 1943 and then took an internship at Fresno County Hospital. He practiced family medicine from 1944 to 1981, when he retired from office practice. He continued active medical work in three nursing homes

until full retirement in 1995 at age 78. He had a close relationship with his patients, took emergency calls at any time and made frequent house calls. He helped establish Reedley’s first ambulance service.

He served on the committee that planned Sierra View Homes and served as its first medical director. He happily spent the last 12 years of his life living at Sierra View.

He was an avid orchid grower and served as president of Central California Orchid Society. He and Marianna went to Kingston, Jamaica, in 1972, where they served for a year as volunteers in a medical clinic under Mennonite Central Committee. He worked another six weeks in a medical clinic in Haiti. He was a stalwart member of Reedley Peace Center from its inception in 2003.

Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Marianna; four children, Alfred Habegger and his wife, Nellie, of Enterprise, Ore., Martha Longoria of Santa Rosa, Valerie Habegger of Forestville and Eric Habegger of

Lakeport; three sisters, Jeanne Crouthamel of Reedley, Helen Fretz of Goshen, Ind., and Esther Souder of Northridge; a brother, David Habegger of Newton, Kan.; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Bernard, who died in infancy, and his youngest sister, Lois Ruth Habegger.

Services were held at First Mennonite Church in Reedley.


Mennonite Weekly Review - November 19, 2007 - 85th Year, No. 47 - p. 8

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Robert* Mae Graber, 74, of West Liberty, Ohio, died Sept. 15, 2007, after an extended illness. She was born Dec. 1, 1932, to Harold and Edna Schertz in Saybrook, Ill.

She was an active member of Saybrook Ag 4-H and Saybrook Cook and Stitch 4-H. During high school, she was a member of East Bend Mennonite Church’s Literary Club and youth fellowship. Upon graduation from Saybrook High School, she was an office secretary before attending Goshen (Ind.) College. She graduated with a major in home economics and a minor in physical education.

On Dec. 22, 1957, she married Harry L. Graber of Leo, Ind.

She was a teacher and homemaker. She found joy in serving others. She spent more than 30 years volunteering in Logan County, including for Mary Rutan Hospital, Logan County Hearts Chapter and Global Crafts of West Liberty. She helped establish and became the first president of the Christian Women’s Club of Logan County. She was instrumental in the origination of the Adriel School quilt auction and served as a member of the board. A faithful member of Bethel Mennonite Church of West Liberty, she was a member of its women’s sewing group until her death. Her hobbies and interests included recycling, genealogy, needlecrafts, sewing and collecting pencils.

She was a loving wife and mother, caring sister and friend. She befriended everyone she encountered and opened her home to all.

Survivors include her husband, Harold; four children, Cheryl L. Shank and her husband, Kenneth, of West Liberty, Rhonda S. Blosser and her husband, Myron, of Harrisonburg, Va., Rodney C. Graber and his wife, Lela Faye, of Bellefontaine and Charles L. Graber of Hot Springs, Va.; a brother, A. Ray Schertz of Saybrook, Ill.; a sister, Joyce M. Schertz of South Bend, Ind.; and nine grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at Bethel Mennonite Church of West Liberty.

*Posting note - Should be Roberta - See LP 2007 G

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Victoria Long Jaw Walks Along (Victory Woman), 70, of Lame Deer, Mont., died June 27, 2007. She was born on Jan. 14, 1937, to Frank and Rose Long Jaw in Lame Deer.

She went to school at Busby and later attended Flandreau Indian School in Pierre, S.D. After completing the 11th grade she married Joe Walks Along Sr. on Aug. 3, 1955. Together they served God as a pastor and Sunday school teacher at Lame Deer Mennonite Church.

She was noted for her beadwork, her cutting of dry meat, teaching Sunday school to small children, accompanying Pastor Joe Sr. at community events and Christian gatherings and tending to her black cows. Her most memorable journey in carrying the good news of Jesus Christ was when they traveled to Guatemala under MCC in 1992 to encourage the Native Indian people being persecuted by government “death squads” for being Christians.

They were respected elders and spiritual leaders. They touched the lives of many people, and God protected them in their commission to carry the word of hope and salvation to those in need. She had grown weary in her battle with cancer and told her family that she wanted to peacefully conclude her journey on the Earth upon the ground her Cheyenne ancestors fought so hard for.

Survivors include a daughter, Sharon Three Fingers and her husband, John, of Lame Deer; seven sons, James Walks Along and his wife, Florene, William Walks Along and his wife, Clarice, and David and Victor Walks Along, all of Lame Deer, John Walks Along and his wife, Patti Ann, of Busby, Isaac Walks Along and his wife, Lori, and Joseph Walks Along Jr. and his wife, Lynn, all of Muddy Creek; her adopted daughters, Debbie Russell, Joey Toews and Elaine Little Bird; her adopted sons, Lawrence Neiss Jr., Maurice Limberhand Jr., Andrew Mandan, Terry Widrick and his wife, Cara, Fred Rausch, Steve Brady Sr. and his wife, Linda, and Otto Braided Hair and his wife, Barbara; an adopted grandson, Cheyenne Big Hawk; her sisters, Agnes Bear and Irene Bearquiver; her adopted sisters, Dolly Hiwalker, Bertha Freeman and Agnes Little Head; 42 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren.

Services were held at Lame Deer Mennonite Church and in the Lame Deer Allen Rowland Gymnasium. Burial was in the Walks Along family cemetery.


Mennonite Weekly Review - November 26, 2007 - 85th Year, No. 48 - p. 8

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Nellie Margaret Sommers, 80, of Plain City, Ohio, died Nov. 9, 2007, at Riverside Methodist Hospital. She was born June 12, 1927, to Asa and Ida (Miller) Hostetler in Millersburg.

She was an accomplished quilter and loved to sew for Mennonite Central Committee. She also sewed many comforters for the children of Adriel School in West Liberty.

She married Elvin J. Sommers on June 5, 1947, in Louisville. He was a pastor.

Survivors include her husband, Elvin; five children, Clell Sommers and his wife, Pearl, of Plain City, Arley Sommers and his wife, Candace, of Cardington, Nedra Steiner and her husband, Roger, of Kidron, Collette Whitmer and her husband, Don, of Plain City, and Lambert Sommers and his wife, Rosetta, of Fredericktown; two sisters, Herma Miller and Edith Stoltzfus; four brothers, Marvin Hostetler, David Hostetler, Elmo Hostetler and Glenn Hostetler; a sister-in-law, Marlene Hostetler; 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Leon Hostetler.


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Copyright 2003 - All rights reserved - Mennonite Publishing House, Scottdale, PA
Used with permission by the Archives of the Mennonite Church, Goshen, INDIANA
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