Mennonite World Review - November 2013
Obituaries are emailed to MennObits before MWR is printed. Wording may vary in printed version.
Mennonite World Review - November 11, 2013 - 91st Year, No. 23 - p. 19
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Viola "Vi" Mae Woelk Nachtigal, 83, of Newton, Kan., died Oct. 26, 2013, at Presbyterian Manor. She was born Aug. 10, 1930, to John and Anna (Franz) Woelk at Bethesda Hospital, Goessel.
She graduated from Goessel High School in 1948. She married Virgil Nachtigal on March 17, 1950, at Goessel Mennonite Church.
Baptized at Goessel Mennonite Church, she joined First Mennonite Church of Newton shortly after her marriage and was a faithful member. In the last few years she attended St. Luke Evangelical Church with her family. She was a homemaker until 1964, when she began working in the mailing department at Herald Book and Printing, later United Printing, retiring in 1992. She worked every Thursday at the Mennonite Weekly Review office, mailing the paper.
In June 1965 the family lost almost everything in Newton's major flood. On Dec. 9, 1965, daughter Randyln died suddenly due to a brain aneurysm at age 14. She and Virgil relied on their faith to see them through a very difficult year.
She enjoyed country and western and Christian music and attended many concerts.
She was a wonderful mother and raised her children in a loving Christian home. She loved to travel. Favorites were the Ozarks and Branson, Mo., Colorado and Kansas City to see family. She was a member of the Christian Women's Club in Newton. She enjoyed fishing trips with Virgil and watching the Kansas City Chiefs and NASCAR.
The last three years she lived with son Kelly and his wife, Gale.
Survivors include her children, Becky Davidson and her husband, Bob, and Kelly Nachtigal and his wife, Gale, all of Newton, and Lonny Nachtigal of Melbourne, Fla.; two brothers, LeRoy and Charles Woelk of Goessel; a stepmother, Ruth Schmidt of North Newton; two granddaughters and six greatgrandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil; and daughter, Randyln.
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Dorothy Mae Baer Powell, 84, of Harrisonburg, Va., and formerly of Amelia, died Oct. 14, 2013, at the Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community. She was born Jan. 10, 1929, to Jacob Elton Baer and Esther Hahn Baer Burkholder in Greencastle, Pa.
She is survived by her children, Patricia Tiller and her husband, Opie, of Salem, Samuel J. Powell III and his wife, Susan, of Amelia, Linda Sheets and her husband, William, of Sandston, and David Powell and his wife, Krista, of Waynesboro; two brothers, Jacob E. Baer Jr. and Nelson D. Baer and his wife, Kathryn, all of Newport News; a brother-in-law, John David Yoder of Newport News; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel James Powell Jr.; and a sister, Esther Mable Yoder.
Funeral services were held at Powhatan Mennonite Church. A time of remembering service was held at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community.
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Esther E. Beechy Falb, 95, of Orrville, Ohio, died Nov. 12, 2013, at Brenn-Field Nursing Home. She was born Jan. 12, 1918, to John J. and Ida (Hartzler) Beechy near Berlin, Ohio.
She graduated from Berlin High School in 1936. She married Milton G. Falb on Sept. 3, 1938, at her home in Millersburg. He preceded her in death in February 1999.
She lived most of her life on the farm southeast of Orrville, where they raised their four children. She delighted in being a friend and of service to others. Foreign voluntary service assignments with her husband included two years in Puerto Rico with her four young children, three years in Bolivia with Mennonite Central Committee, several other short terms in Brazil and several locations stateside. She was active in her church, Martins Mennonite Church, where she was a member. She was a member of the Kidron Historical Society and served as a volunteer guide for many years. Community involvement was important as she participated in an extension homemakers group for many years.
She was an avid genealogist and historian, which included writing a family history book. The love of quilting, gardening and traveling took her to most of the countries of South America and Europe, China, India and Bangladesh, mostly involving mission activities.
Survivors include four children, Jane Sears and her husband, Earl, of Tiskilwa, Ill., Betty Hochstetler and her husband, Otis, of Brasilia, Brazil, and Dean Falb and his wife, Jan, and Don Falb and his wife, Pat, all of Orrville.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Milton; an infant son, Maynard; brothers Paul and Mark Beechy; sisters Laura Plummer and Martha Stuter; half-sisters Magdalene Miller and Elizabeth Birkey; and half-brother Andrew Beechy.
Funeral services were held at Martins Mennonite Church.