Mennonite Weekly Review - March, 1987
64th Year No. 10 March 5, 1987 page 8
NEWTON & VICINITY
CURTIS D. STUCKY
Curtis D. Stucky, 50, of Pretty Prairie, died at his home on Feb.
27. He was the brother of Carol Wedel of Hesston. Funeral services
were held on March 3 at First Mennonite Church, Pretty Prairie,
with Richard Tschetter and Stanley Schrag officiating. Burial
was in the church cemetery. A farmer and dairyman, he is also
survived by his wife, the former Virginia Holladay; one son, his
mother, and one brother.
HERMAN HANKE
Memorial services for Herman Hanke, 82, of Newton, will be held
on March 2 at Restlawn Gardens of Memory, rural Newton. A long-time
Newton resident and retired custodian for the Solomon public schools,
he died on March 2 at Friendly Acres Home for the Aged. Survivors
include his wife, the former Anna Esther Buller; two sons, James
of Halstead and Herman, Jr., of Minden, Neb.; one daughter, Frances
Krueger of Ft. Worth. Texas; three brothers, Elmer, Henry and
Harry Hanke, all of Newton; two sisters, Edith Hanke of Newton
and Esther Dirksen of Iron Mountain, Mich.; 11 grandchildren;
and 12 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one son.
64th Year No. 11 -- March 12, 1987 page 8
NEWTON & VICINITY
SIMON E. WIENS
Simon E. Wiens, 64, of Inman, died on March 9 at his home. He
was the brother of Leonard Wiens of North Newton and Rosella Regier
of Newton. Funeral services are scheduled for March 12 at Bethel
Mennonite Church near Inman, with D.A. Raber officiating. Burial
will be in North Inman cemetery. A partner in Jost and Wiens (now
known as Wiens and Dudley) Construction, Wiens also was board
chairman of the Central Christian Schools in Hutchinson. Other
survivors include his wife, the former Sally E. Neufeld, one son,
one daughter and one sister.
RUTH E. SCHMIDT
Funeral services for Ruth E. Schmidt, 92, of Newton, were held
on March 6 at Grace Hill Mennonite Church, rural Whitewater, with
James Voth officiating. A member of the Bethel Deaconess Hospital
Auxiliary, Newton, she died on March 3 at that hospital. Burial
was in the church cemetery. Survivors include one son, Olin W.,
of Newton; one daughter, Gladys Harms of Whitewater; one sister,
Lillian Tangeman of Hesston; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Her husband, Arthur, preceded her in death in 1961.
MARTHA UNRUH
Martha Unruh, 73, of Bella Vista, Ark., died on March 2 at Bella
Vista. A Bethel College graduate, she was a former Newton schoolteacher.
A native of Mt. Lake, Minn., she is survived by her husband, Earl;
one son, Steven of Newton; two daughters and several grandchildren.
JONENE NICKEL
A memorial service was held on March 9 at Alexanderwohl Mennonite
Church near Goessel for Jonene Nickel, 32, of rural Hillsboro.
Orlando Waltner officiated. The service was preceded by a graveside
service and burial in Alexanderwohl Cemetery. A native of Goessel,
she died on March 6 at St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Wichita.
Survivors include her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Nickel of rural
Hillsboro; one brother, Bradley of Newton; and one sister, Lori
Maddox of Abilene, Texas.
LILLIAN (JANKE) NICKEL
Funeral services for Lillian (Janke) Nickel, 80, or rural Peabody,
will be held on March 13 at Hesston Inter-Mennonite Church, with
Herbert Minnich officiating. Burial will be in Haven of Rest Cemetery
near Hillsboro. She died on March 9 at her home. Survivors include
her husband, Rudolph H.; one son, Henry J. of Newton; four daughters,
Mary Goossen of Dinuba, Calif., Betty Andres of Overland Park,
Elsie Mackland of Hutchinson and Sharon Franzen of Houston; two
sisters, Frieda Sweitzer of Vale, Ore., and Irene Davis of Ottawa;
16 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
PETER D. ANDRES
Peter T. Andres, 81, of Hutchinson died on March 7 at Hutchinson
Hospital. He was a member of Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church near
Goessel. Funeral services were held on March 11 at Bethel Mennonite
Church near Inman, with D.A. Raber officiating. Burial was in
North Inman Cemetery. A retired farmer and retired employee of
Republic Paper Board Co., he had been a Hutchinson resident since
1986, formerly of Inman.
64th Year No 12 March 19, 1987 Page 8
GEORGE T. SCHIERLING, SR.
Funeral services for George T. Schierling, Sr., 93, of Hesston,
formerly of Newton, were held on March 15 at First Mennonite Church,
Newton, with Floyd Bartel officiating. Burial was in the Buhler
(Kan.) Cemetery. A native of Inman, retired dairy farmer and former
Harvey County commissioner, he died on March 15 at Bethel Deaconess
Hospital, Newton. Survivors include his wife, the former Helen
L. Isaac; four sons, Harry C. of Wellington, Edward K. of Pueblo,
Colo., and Irvin and George Jr., both of Newton; one daughter,
Dorothy Ensz of Hutchinson; three brothers, Dave, Ben and John,
all of Inman; three sisters, Anna Esau, Katherine Thieszen and
Elizabeth Thieszen, all of Inman; 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
His first wife, the former Marie Kroeker, preceded him in death
in 1958.
JOYCIE SCHULTZ WIENS
Joycie Schultz Wiens, 90, formerly of Reedley, Calif., died on
March 10 at Friendly Acres, Newton. She was the mother of Jeannette
Schmidt of Newton. Funeral services were held March 16 at Reedley
Mennonite Brethren Church. She had lived at Friendly Acres since
November 1982, when she moved from Reedley. Prior to living in
Reedley, she made her home in the Cordell, Okla., area. Other
survivors include one daughter, Vivian Baergen of Oklahoma City,
Okla.; two sisters, Minnie Frey of Cordell and Lena Pankratz of
Albany, Ore.; one brother, Jacob D. Schultz of Cordell; four grandchildren
and seven great-grandchildren. Her husband, Daniel Peter Wiens,
preceded her in death.
MARGARETHA REGIER
Funeral services for Margaretha Regier, 98, of Newton, were held
on March 14 at Emmaus Mennonite Church near Whitewater, with Rodney
Crowell and Andrew Shelly officiating. Burial was in the church
cemetery. She died on March 10 at Bethel Home for Aged, Newton.
Survivors include one son, Arthur, of Whitewater; two daughters,
Wanda Regier of Newton and Alma Dyck of Atascadero, Calif.; seven
grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
64th Year No. 13 March 26, 1987 Page 8
HUNORA ALENA SCHMIDT
Hunora Alena Schmidt of Hutchinson died on March 22 at Hutchinson
Hospital at age 63. Graveside services were held on March 24 at
Fairlawn Cemetery with Frederick J. Obold officiating. She was
the sister of Otis Unruh of Newton and Rosetta Auernheimer of
Halstead. Other survivors include her husband, Harvey G. Schmidt;
two additional sisters and four grandchildren.
HULDA E. HAURY
Hulda E. Haury, 82 of Tucson, Ariz., and formerly of Newton, died
on Feb. 20 in Tucson. The daughter of professor and Mrs. H.D.
Penner of Hillsboro, she was a teacher at Roosevelt Elementary
School, Newton, during the 1920s. Survivors include her husband,
Emil W. Haury of Tucson; two sons, Allan B. of Annapolis, Md.,
and Loren G. of Del Mar, Calif.; two sisters, Verna Miller of
Partridge and Linda Niles of Newton; and three grandchildren.
Mennonite Weekly Review
64th year - No 13 - page 11
March 26, 1987
IN MEMORIAM
CLINTON M. FERSTER
Clinton Miles Ferster was born May 15, 1898, near Richfield, Pa.
He died Feb. 10, 1987, at Zendt Nursing Home, Richfield at the
age of 88. He was a son of John K. and Amanda (Lauver) Ferster.
On Sept. 2, 1919, he was married to Maybell M. Landis. They farmed
in the area until 1935 when they began serving under Eastern Mennonite
Board of Missions and Charities. Until 1950 they served in Tanzania
and Ethiopia and, for several years, at Diamond Street Mennonite
Church, Phildelphia. They later served 15 months in Honduras.
After their return, he served as a guest evangelist and interim
pastor throughout North America until 1975.
He was a member of Mt. Olive Mennonite Church, Maugansville, Md.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a foster son and his
wife, William and Betty Reynolds of Bellefontaine, Ohio; a foster
daughter, Eva Reynolds of Wauseon, Ohio; two foster grandchildren,
four foster great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mary (Mrs. J. Roy)
Graybill of Richfield, Pa., and Olive (Mrs. Ralph) Saner of Thompsontown,
Pa. Five sisters, four brothers and a foster grandson preceded
him in death.
Funeral services were held Feb. 14, at Lauvers Mennonite Church,
with Carl Graybill, Glenn Martin, Paul Ebersole and Allen Kauffman
officiating. Burial was in the adjoining cemetery.
ELLA M. LONGENECKER
Ella M. Longenecker, 94, of Dillsburg, Pa., died Jan. 29, 1987,
following an illness of several months.
Born Sept. 1, 1892, near Belleville, she was the daughter of Abiah
and Lydia Zook Byler. She was a member of Kralltown Mennonite
Church in York County.
On May 4, 1944, she was married to Daniel L. Longenecker. He died
on May 4, 1968.
For 18 years she worked at the children's home in Grantsville,
Md.
Last spring a tumor was discovered under her right ear; treatments
followed at Hershey Medical Center last summer. She became bedfast
about two months before her death.
She is survived by two stepdaughters, Ruth (Mrs. Raymond) Miller
of Elizabethtown and Emma (Mrs. Laban) Zimmerman of Dillburg;
46 step-grandchildren; 165 step-great-grandchildren; and 64 step-great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by three stepsons, one stepdaughter,
five brothers and three sisters.
Funeral services were held at Stricklers Mennonite Church, Middletown,
with bishop Elmer Kruder, John Rohrer and Russel Zeager officiating.
Burial was in Shopes Cemetery, Lower Swatara Township, Dauphin
County.
MARIE FUNK
Marie Funk, 92, longtime resident of Aberdeen, Idaho, died Feb.
25, 1987, at Bingham Memorial Nursing Home in Blackfoot following
an extended illness.
She was born on May 20, 1894, in Youngstown, Kan., to Peter and
Anna Friesen Funk. Her father owned a flour mill and also farmed
near Marion, Kan.
In 1902, she moved with her family to Hinton, Okla., where they
homesteaded on the Cherokee Strip. In 1909 the family moved to
Aberdeen, Idaho. She attended Idaho Technical Institute in Pocatello
and business college in Los Angeles, Calif.
For 20 years she worked for the Aberdeen Post Office as clerk
and acting postmistress. She retired in May 1964.
She was a lifelong member of the Mennonite church and was active
in the Ladies mission society. She traveled widely.
Survivors include two sisters, Anna Wiebe and Elizabeth Wenger,
both of Aberdeen, and one brother, Herman Funk of Aberdeen.
Funeral services were held Jan. 26, 1987, at First Mennonite Church,
Aberdeen, with Lance Eisele officiating. Burial was in Homestead
Cemetery.
HENRY FRANZ
Henry "Bud" Franz, 74, a longtime resident of Bartlesville,
Okla., died Feb. 25, 1987, in the Jane Phillips Medical Center,
Bartlesville.
He was born July 28, 1912, in Henderson, Neb. to Abraham and Helena
(Fast) Franz. He graduated from York (Neb.) College and did post-graduate
work at University of Nebraska and the University of Colorado.
On June 11, 1935, he was married to Minnie Janzen at Munich, N.D.
He was superintendent of schools and high school athletics coach
at Surprise, Neb., for several years. During World War II, he
served as chief inspector of the Kansas Ordnance Plant in Parsons,
Kan.
He and his wife moved to Bartlesville in 1945 when he joined the
chemical department at Philips Petroleum Co., Bartlesville. He
retired in 1977. After his retirement he was a hospital courier
and a Lifeline volunteer.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Bartlesville,
where funeral services were held on Feb. 27, 1987, with Russell
Cheatham in charge. Burial was in the Bethesda Mennonite Church
Cemetery at Henderson, with Albert Epp officiating, on March 2.
He is survived by his wife, Minnie; three daughters, Janice (Mrs.
Shelby) Lawson of Bartlesville, Jeanie (Mrs. Dean) Snyder of Greeley,
Colo., and Debbie (Mrs. John) Miller of Aurora, Colo.; one sister,
Tena Schellenberg of Newton, Kan.; and six grandchildren. He was
preceded in death by four sisters and four brothers.
JACOB HILDEBRAND
Jacob Hildebrand was born Feb. 17, 1893, in Marion County, Kan.,
to David and Maria Schmidt Hildebrand. He died Oct. 12, 1986.
He was baptized at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church near Goessel
on June 18, 1913, by Henry Banman.
On Sept. 30, 1917, he was married to Mary Schmidt at Sichar Mennonite
Church in Cordell, Okla. They lived on a farm in Marion County
for a few years, then moved to Newton. In 1940 the family moved
to Wichita, where they joined Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church.
His wife passed away on Feb. 19, 1963. On May 18, 1967, he married
Maria Unruh Schmidt and they moved to Newton.
He is survived by his wife, Maria, of Newton; one son and his
wife, Levi and Cleora of Newton; two daughters and their husbands,
Averille and John Macy of Wichita and Phyllis and Alfred Smith
of Denver, Colo; one step-daughter and her husband, Mildred Jean
and Melvin Franzen of Newton; 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren
and two great-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by four sisters and three brothers.
SHANE EDWARD MILLER
Shane Edward Miller, the firstborn son of Kerwin and Debra (Wicks)
Miller, was born on Feb. 9, 1987, at the Langlade Memorial Hospital
in Antigo, Wis. He died Feb. 14 at the age five days at St. Joseph's
Hospital in Marshfield, Wis., after a short illness.
Other survivors include his grandparents, Cecil and Verda Miller
of Kalona, Iowa, and Alan and Judy Wicks of Muscatine, Iowa; two
great-grandmothers, Irma Wicks of Muscatine and Barbara Hershberger
of Kalona; six uncles, an aunt and three cousins.
Funeral services were held at Fairview Conservative Mennonite
Church near Kalona on Feb. 17, 1987. Burial was in the church
cemetery.
CLARA E. GOERING
Clara E. Goering was born to Andrew J. and Carolina Waltner Goering
on April 11, 1907, in McPherson County, Kan. She received her
elementary school education in the Volunteer School District.
Upon her confession of faith she was received as a member of Eden
Mennonite Church, rural Moundridge, where she remained a faithful
member until her death.
She leaves to mourn her departure two brothers, Menno Goering
of McPherson and Dan W. Goering of Moundridge, and one sister,
Ena Krehbiel of Kingman.
A memorial service was held Feb. 16, 1987, at Eden Mennonite Church.
The service was preceded by a graveside service in the church
cemetery. Pastors Don Longbottom and Tim Lehman officiated.
LESTER BURKEY
Lester Burkey was born Jan. 13, 1910, at Milford, Neb., to Pete
and Mary (Steider) Burkey. He died Feb. 13, 1987, at the age of
77.
His mother passed away shortly after his birth. At the age of
14 days he was received into the home of his cousin and her husband,
Mary and Henry Teuscher, who raised him as their own child.
On Dec. 10, 1930, he was united in marriage to Stella Zimmerman.
He accepted Christ as his Savior in his youth and was a member
of East Fairview Mennonite Church, Milford, at the time of his
death. He was a retired farmer and a painter at Southeast Community
College.
He is survived by his wife, Stella; a daughter, Jeanette Stutzman
of Milford; two grandchildren; a sister, Clara Hostetler of Milford;
and a half-brother, Irvin Burkey of Broken bow.
Funeral services were held Feb. 16, 1987, at East Fairview Mennonite
Church, with Lloyd Gingerich and Lloyal Burkey officiating. Interment
was in East Fairview Cemetery.
TED KREHBIEL
Ted Krehbiel, son of Christian C. and Anna Wedel Krehbiel, was
born Feb. 16, 1905, near Elyria, Kan. He passed away on Jan. 17,
1987, at the age of 81.
He attended King City School in Elyria and was a McPherson County
resident all his life.
He accepted Christ as his personal Savior and was baptized on
June 20, 1920, joining Eden Mennonite Church, where he remained
a faithful member.
On Oct. 16, 1924, he was united in marriage to Edith Goering.
Shortly after their marriage, they moved to a small farm east
of Elyria. He had a special interest in horses. At this time he
became interested in auctioneering and, encouraged by a friend,
began a 50-year career as an auctioneer.
Following his father's death, the family moved to Elyria, where
he remained until his death.
He loved people, especially children. His greatest concern was
his family. He encouraged living a good, honest life. He enjoyed
jokes and laughter, family singing and get-togethers, card games
with friends and treeing a raccoon with his faithful hounds and
hunting buddies. Many of his grandchildren, nieces and nephews
will remember going with him to the horse sale in Hutchinson.
Those remaining to cherish his memory include his wife, Edith,
three sons and their wives, Jim and Ruby, Bob and Valeda and Larry
and Betty, five daughters and their husbands, Meribeth and Kenneth
Kaufman, Maxine and William Schrag, Jane and Bob Regehr, Kay and
Gib Burgan and Patsy and Anton Klassen; a sister, Alice Kaufman;
20 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren
He was preceded in death by an infant son, Harold, a brother,
Art, and four grandchildren.
Memorial and graveside services were held Jan. 20, 1987, at Eden
Mennonite Church, with pastors Don Longbottom and Tim Lehman officiating.
IVAN HEADINGS
Ivan Headings was born to Elmer C. and Alma (Hooley) Headings
on June 23, 1913, at Cheraw, Colo., and passed away at Bethesda
Personal Care Home, Steinbach, Man., on Feb. 14, 1987, at the
age of 73.
At the age of 11 he confessed Christ as Savior and continued to
grow in him and serve him faithfully
At Hesston (Kan.) College he met Louise Miller, to whom he was
married on June 24, 1940.
He was ordained to the ministry at Adair, Okla., in 1847. After
serving there a number of years, God led him to Lebanon, Ore.,
where he pastored East Fairview Mennonite Church for 11 years.
He was a self-supporting minister and, due to a back injury received
as a boy and on his doctor's advice to do lighter work, he finished
his education and became a teacher, teaching for five years in
Oregon.
The need for teachers in Canada led him to a government school
at Pikangikum, Ont., where he taught 1963-68, working with Northern
Gospel Light's mission there. His small Luscomb plane served well
there and is still in use at Northern Youth Ministries in Dryden,
Ont. He later taught at Mitchell, near Steinbach; in northern
Manitoba Pauingassi, and at Ingenika in northern British Columbia.
In 1983 he suffered a stroke after having been in failing health
for several years.
Left to treasure his memory are his wife, Louise; three sons and
their wives, Richard and Dorothy and Robert and Ranae of Lebanon,
Ore., and Roger and Phyllis of Steinbach, Man.; two daughters,
Pat (Mrs. Dave) Sharp of Belleville, Pa., and Donella (Mrs. John)
Keim of Grottoes, Va.; 11 grandchildren; three brothers, Marvin
of Salem, Ore., and Vernon and Sam of Albany, Ore.; and five sisters,
Velma (Mrs. Fred) Kaufman of Scio, Ore., Clysta Buerge of Albany,
Ore., and Vera (Mrs. Chris) Whitaker, Opal (Mrs. Verl) Nofziger
and Olive (Mrs. Wilmer) Roth, all of Lebanon, Ore.
He was preceded in death by four infant brothers and one sister.
Memorial and graveside services were held Feb. 18, 1987, in Steinbach,
Man., with John Neufeld and Alvin Frey officiating.
ADDITION/CORRECTION
Additional information has been received about Ivan Headings,
whose obituary appeared in the March 26 issue. He was also preceded
in death by a sister, Pearl Kropf, and a brother, Emery. His mother's
name was Ada, not Alma.
FERNE B. YODER
Ferne B. Yoder, daughter of Monie and Mahala (Troyer) Boyts, was
born Jan. 30, 1904, near Jet, Okla. She died of heart failure
on Dec. 1, 1986, at Goshen (Ind.) General Hospital at the age
of 82.
On April 8, 1925, she was married to Harvey Yoder, who died Jan.
10, 1974. One son, Max Boyd, also preceded her in death on Dec.
31, 1960.
Her survivors include two daughters, Mona Bebe (Mrs. Clifford)
King of Eureka, Ill., and Shirley (Mrs. Claude) Swartzendruber
of Goshen, Ind.; one son, Doyle of Sacramento, Calif.; seven grandchildren;
nine great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Roy and Earl Boyts
of Harper, Kan.
She was a member of Crystal Springs Mennonite Church, Harper,
Kan. She lived most of her life in that area until the fall of
1982 when she moved to Greencroft Nursing Center, Goshen, Ind.
Memorial services were held Dec. 2, 1986, in Goshen, with James
Waltner officiating. Graveside services and interment took place
Dec. 3, at Crystal Springs Cemetery, with Weldon Martin officiating.
MARIE HARMS
Marie Harms, daughter of G.N. and Maria Harms, was born near Whitewater,
Kan., on Oct. 17, 1902. She spent her early life on the family
farm and attended a nearby one-room country school. She attended
Hillsboro Academy and Bethel College, where she completed requirements
for a teaching certificate. She taught in elementary schools at
Greensburg and Goessel, Kan.
On Aug. 29, 1930, she was united in marriage to William Harms,
with her father officiating at the ceremony. For a time they rented
a farm in Harvey County. Later they purchased a farm where they
lived the rest of their married life. Her husband died on May
25, 1964.
She was a lifelong member of Grace Hill Mennonite Church. She
was an active participant in the women's Bible study and mission
society. For a number of years she and her husband were the church
custodians.
In 1966 she suffered a stroke from which she never recovered.
She entered the Bethel Home for Aged, Newton, in December 1978
and remained there until her death on Jan. 20, 1987.
She is survived by one son; Myron of Salem, Ore.; one daughter,
Mary Beth Ensz of Salt Lake City, Utah; four grandchildren; and
two sisters, Sister Theodosia Harms of Newton and Ruth Harms of
Seattle, Wash.
MARTHA A. UNRUH
Martha A. Unruh, 72, of Bella Vista, Ark., died March 2, 1987,
at Concordia Care Center. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.A. Penner
of Mt. Lake, Minn., she was born on June 2, 1914.
She was a graduate of Mt. Lake High School and an active member
of Bethel Mennonite Church. She graduated from Bethel College,
North Newton, Kan. with a degree in music.
In 1938 she married Earl Unruh, who became president of Sinclair
Pipe Line Co., later affiliated with British Petroleum, and became
a vice-president of Standard Oil Co.
She shared in her husband's business career and enjoyed traveling
with him. Wherever she lived she contributed to the community
with her music through singing and directing choirs. She especially
enjoyed her home, her children and grandchildren.
In 1976 she and her husband retired to Bella Vista, Ark., where
she was a member of the Community church, P.E.O., Organetts and
Christian Women's Club.
Survivors include her husband, Earl; one son, Steven of Newton,
Kan.; two daughters, Bethel Ann Dale of Charlotte, N.C., and Rachel
Ruth Wormington of Independence, Kan.; one sister, Elsie Pankratz
of Mt. Lake, Minn.; and five grandchildren.
A private burial took place at the Columbarium at Bella Vista
Cemetery following cremation and a memorial service at the Bella
Vista Community Church, with John Foss officiating.
VIOLA GRABER STUCKY
Viola Graber Stucky, daughter of Jacob G. and Frances Graber Graber,
was born Dec. 10, 1907, at Pretty Prairie, Kan. She passed away
in her sleep on March 8, 1987.
Her childhood years were spent on a farm northeast of Pretty Prairie.
She received her education at the Lone Star elementary school
and Pretty Prairie High School.
She was baptized upon confession of faith by N.W. Bahnmann on
Sept. 16, 1923, and received into the membership of First Mennonite
Church, Pretty Prairie, of which she remained a member the rest
of her life.
On Nov. 28, 1929, she was united in marriage to Milton Stucky.
They lived on a number of farms before moving to her home place.
She enjoyed helping her husband with the farm work. She also enjoyed
cooking and baking, especially for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Her love for her family was seen not only in the material care
she gave her family, but also in her spiritual concern. She was
strong in faith. She also had a deep appreciation for her spiritual
heritage and her grandfather, John G. Graber, who was one of the
early leaders of First Mennonite Church of Pretty Prairie.
In August 1985 she and her husband moved to a cottage near Prairie
Sunset Home, where they also enjoyed life.
She was preceded in death by two sisters, Ella and Tillie, one
granddaughter and a great-granddaughter.
Her survivors include her husband, Milton; two sons and their
wives, LeRoy and Darlene of Wichita and Gerald and Phyllis of
Pretty Prairie; one daughter and her husband. Marlene and Don
McCowan; eight grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and a sister,
Bessie (Mrs. Lonnie) Graber of Pretty Prairie.
Transcribed by Ralph Shetler, Oregon
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64th Year No. 13 March 26, 1987 Page 2
Death
Centenarian Dies At Ephrata at 103
MARTHA GROFF LANDIS
Ephrata, Pa.-Martha Groff Landis, 103, died March 9 at Fairmont
Rest Home here after a brief illness. She and her late husband,
Phares B. Landis, opened a vegetable stand at a local market around
1912 and she continued to sell vegetables until she was 90. She
was the oldest member of Stumptown Mennonite Church, Bird-in-Hand,
where funeral services were held. She is survived by six children,
17 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.