Mennonite Weekly Review
December 2, 2002
80th Year, No. 48, p. 8

Melvin K. Barge, 91, of Lancaster, Pa., died Nov. 24, 2002, at Community Hospital after a brief illness. He was born to Ira Jay and Hettie Hershey Barge in Sterling, Ill.
He was married to Ada Mae Hershey Barge, who died in 1997.
He was a 1929 graduate of East Lampeter High School. He was a member of Paradise Mennonite Church and served as a Sunday school and Bible school teacher and superintendent.
He retired from Kingsway Realty, where he was employed as a broker and realtor for many years. Earlier he was a standholder at three Philadelphia Farmer's Markets and was a poultry farmer in Ronks.
He was a chaplain at Philhaven for 18 years. He was a superintendent and teacher at Outpost Bible School in central Pennsylvania for many years. He was a member of Mill Creek Hunting Camp in Tioga County and bowled in the Thursday Mixed Seniors League at Garden Spot Bowling Center. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, bowling, playing scrabble and reading the Bible.
Survivors include two sons, Melvin H. and his wife, Mary Ellen, of Ronks, and Kenneth H. and his wife, Jane, of Bird In Hand; three daughters, Janet Hoover and her husband, Carl, of Manheim, Lois Lynn and her husband, Richard, of Lancaster, and Norma Horst and her husband, J. Nelson, of New Holland; a sister, Miriam Barge of Lancaster; nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at Paradise Mennonite Church. Burial was in Strasburg Mennonite Cemetery.

Mennonite Weekly Review
December 9, 2002
80th Year, No. 49, p. 11

Willard E. Kaufman, 74, of Moundridge, Kan., died Nov. 9, 2002, at Memorial Home. He was born Sept. 20, 1928, to Henry and Lydia Voran Kaufman near Belmont.
He was a graduate of Belmont High School, Bethel College in North Newton and the University of Kansas School of Medicine.
He married Lorraine J. Johnson on June 14, 1953, in Osage City.
They spent 1954-56 in medical relief work under Mennonite Central Committee among Arab refugees in Hebron, West Bank. When they returned to the United States, he served the Moundridge and Inman communities as a family practice medical doctor until his retirement in 1993.
He was on the Bethel College board of directors for 12 years and was chair for three of those years. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Bethel College in 1979. He was a member of West Zion Mennonite Church of Moundridge and served as deacon and Sunday school teacher.
Survivors include his wife, Lorraine; two sons, Stanley E. of San Francisco and Dennis A. of Racine, Wis.; a daughter, Sharon Reber of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; a sister, Lela Schmidt of North Newton; and two granddaughters.
Services were held at West Zion Mennonite Church. Burial was at Union Cemetery in Osage City.

Paul A. Yoder, 84, of Walnut Creek, Ohio, died May 29, 2002, at Walnut Hills Nursing Home after a lengthy illness. He was born Feb. 27, 1918, to Alfred and Sovilla (Miller) Yoder in Holmes County.
On March 14, 1946, he married Ella Mullet. She preceded him in death on June 20, 2000.
He was a retired farmer and member of Bethel Fellowship Church. He spent four and a half years in Civilian Public Service during World War II, serving at Bluffton, Ind., Medaryville, Ind., Hill City, S.D., Tapini, Ore., and Akron, Pa.
Survivors include seven children, Irene Schrock and her husband, Marvin, of Baltic; Sara Miller and her husband, Nelson, of Millersburg; Marie Stoll and her husband, Owen, of Odon, Ind.; David and his wife, Emmy, Mark and his wife, Betty, and Ruby Beachy and her husband, Maynard, all of Sugarcreek; and Sam and his wife, Ruby, of Dundee; 31 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at Bethel Fellowship Church in Berlin.

Mennonite Weekly Review
Dec. 16, 2002
80th Year, No. 50

David Henry Alderfer, 95, died Nov. 13, 2002, at Oak Lea Nursing Home in Harrisonburg, Va., where he had been a resident for three years. He was born Sept. 7, 1907, to Henry S. and Annie Burkholder Alderfer in Souderton, Pa.
On March 27, 1932, he married Mary Histand. She preceded him in death on June 12, 1998.
He was chaplain and manager of the Hospitality Center, established by Rocky Mountain Mennonite Conference in Aspen, Colo., from 1961 to 1971. He worked in sales and marketing for Mennonite Publishing House in Scottdale, Pa., from 1927 to 1960. He served on many church boards and committees and was a charter member of Laurelville Mennonite Campground Association.
In 1975, he and his wife retired and returned to Scottdale. In 1988 they moved to Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community in Harrisonburg. He was a member of Park View Mennonite Church.
Survivors include five sons, Joseph of Harrisonburg, Fred of Aspen, Edward of Hamilton, Ohio, James of Orrville, Ohio, and Daniel of Snowmass, Colo.; 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were held at Lindale Mennonite Cemetery. A memorial service was held in Strite Chapel on the campus of Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community.

Mary Edna Yutzy Jantzen, 80, of Glendale, Ariz., died Nov. 23, 2002. She was born April 26, 1922, to Joseph M. and Lizzie (Schrock) Yutzy on a farm near Hutchinson, Kan.
She taught Bible school in Missouri and Arkansas several summers and worked for her sister and brother-in-law in their meat locker. She graduated as a licensed practical nurse in Kansas City in June 1957 and practiced nursing for 27 years, retiring June 30, 1984. She enjoyed working as a nurse in Hutchinson and Phoenix, helping many patients feel better due to her caring and loving service. Her nursing experience included helping to start the Intensive Care Unit at Grace Hospital in Hutchinson. She also worked in intensive care and the recovery room at Good Samaritan Hospital and the nursery at Maryvale Hospital.
In 1969 she moved to Phoenix, and moved to Glencroft Retirement Community in Glendale in 1982. She was a member of Sunnyslope Mennonite Church in Phoenix.
After residing at Phoenix for several years, she met and married Albert L. Jantzen on Nov. 6, 1988. He preceded her in death on Sept. 7, 1993. She often said their years together were the happiest of her life.
In her leisure time she loved to travel, do ceramics, play games and quilt. She helped quilt many quilts for the Glencroft auction. She was an avid fan of the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team.
Survivors include a brother, Paul A. Yutzy; a stepson, Lyman Jantzen; a stepdaughter, Grace Jantzen; three step-grandchildren and seven step-great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were two brothers, Oliver and Edward Yutzy; and two sisters, Nora Bontrager and Orpha Roth.

Alma Brenneman Horst, 102, of Pleasantview Home in Kalona, Iowa, died Oct. 14, 2002. She was born Aug. 27, 1900, to William D. and Mary Brenneman in rural Johnson County on her parent's farm.
Her formal education began at Center School. Later she attended several winter Bible terms at Hesston (Kan.) College.
She was baptized in July 1915 and became a member of Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church near Kalona.
She worked in the homes of local area families and in later years cared for aging members of her family. She served the greater Mennonite Church in Elkhart, Ind., Akron, Pa., and Newton, Kan.
She married Rufus Horst, a retired pastor, on May 15, 1976. They lived in Kansas City, Kan., until his death on Jan. 6, 1981. She often said that those were good years.
She enjoyed traveling and visited Tanzania, Kenya and Israel, as well as much of the continental United States. She had an intense interest in missions all her life. She supported missionaries around the world by her prayers and financial giving.
Survivors include three stepchildren, Ethan Horst of Tulsa, Okla., Rachael Stoltzfus of Harrisonburg, Va., and Lester Horst of Goldendale, Wash.; step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Rufus; a brother, Clark; a sister, Alta Keiser; and a stepson, Merle Horst.
Memorial services were held at Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church. Burial was in the Lower Deer Creek Cemetery.

Mennonite Weekly Review
December 23, 2002
80th Year, No. 51, p. 8

Milton D. Rohrer, 93, of Orrville, Ohio, died Nov. 13, 2002, at his home after a period of declining health. He was born Oct. 8, 1909, to David and Emma (Smucker) Rohrer in Orrville.
He married Ella Amstutz on Jan. 1, 1935, in Dalton.
He graduated from Smithville High School in 1928 and attended Goshen (Ind.) College. He was the former owner and operator of the family business, Rohrer Farms Inc.
He was a member of Smithville Mennonite Church, where he had held many positions in the church.
He was active in Gideons International, where he held local offices, and was the former treasurer and treasurer emeritus of The Calvary Hour. He was active with the Farm Bureau and the Ruritan Club (emeritus) and was a former member of the Milk Producers Board. He was known as an encourager to those working with The Calvary Hour.
Survivors include his wife, Ella; five children, M. David and his wife, Velda; Julia Beyeler and her husband, Bob; Paul and his wife, Alta; Lois Hochstetler and her husband, Harold, all of Orrville, and John and his wife, Betty, of Plain City; a sister, May Smucker of Orrville; 16 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a grandson, Craig Rohrer, in 1986, and a sister, Martha Beyeler, in 2000.
Funeral services were held at Smithville Mennonite Church. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Menno Jacob Ediger, 75, of Mission, B.C., died peacefully at home surrounded by family on Dec. 2, 2002. He was born Oct. 5, 1928, in Inman, Kan., and moved to Mission with his wife, Margaretha, in 1990.
He was an ordained minister in the Mennonite Church and served churches in Turpin, Okla., Sudbury, Ont., Markham, Ill., and Boise, Idaho. He and Margaretha spent many years working as volunteers with Mennonite Central Committee, establishing the Welcome Inn drop-in centre in Hamilton, laying the groundwork for a new church there, and working with Old Colony Mennonites in Bolivia.
After moving to Mission, he was actively involved in the M2W2 prison ministry, Habitat for Humanity and Mennonite Disaster Service. He was involved locally with Meals on Wheels, Seniors Connection, the Valley Singers and the M2W2 Hidden Treasures Thrift Store in Abbotsford. A faithful and loved member of St. Stephens Community Church, he inspired and promoted outreach programs there that serve the local and global community.
He enjoyed curling, singing, fishing and making furniture out of "found" materials. He believed in simple living and the wise use and reuse of resources. He lived a life committed to peace and justice. He touched the lives of many people in North and South America who benefited from his dedication to service in the name of God's love.
Survivors include his wife, Margaretha; children Stephanie, Elizabeth, Mike, Mary and Evelyn; children-in-law Diane Ediger, Lloyd Hildebrand and Robert Ross; four sisters, Katherina Epp, Marie Regehr, Anne Martin and Elma Kauffman; a brother, Peter Ediger; and six grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at St. Stephen's Community Church in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Roland Riesen, 58, of Fresno, Calif., died Dec. 3, 2002. He was born May 11, 1944, to Karl and Elda Riesen in Hillsboro, Kan.
He graduated from Hillsboro High School and moved to Fresno in 1965 to complete voluntary service with Mennonite Central Committee. He had a passion for vocal music and an instinctive and creative talent for sheet metal and woodworking. He was an active member of Mennonite Community Church, sang for 18 years with the Mennonite Men's Chorus and was a member of the Pacific College Chorale. He retired from the Sheet Metal Union after 25 years of dedicated service to his trade.
He was a warm, humble husband, father and friend. He lived his life as a servant with outstretched arms touching the lives of every person he met.
Survivors include his wife, Sylvia; a son, Jeffrey; his mother, Elda; a brother, Arlan; and sisters Marilyn Lundblade and Jan Tingen.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Kenneth.
Services were held at Mennonite Community Church.

Mennonite Weekly Review
December 30, 2002
80th Year, No. 52 p. 8

Ora Joseph Yoder
Ora Joseph "O.J." Yoder, 92, of Wichita, Kan., died Dec. 20, 2002. He was born Jan. 4, 1910, to Delos and Sadie Ray (Plank) Yoder.
He was a longtime member of the Mennonite Church. His current church membership was with West Heights United Methodist Church in Wichita. He was a builder and contractor.
Survivors include his wife, Mabel; a daughter-in-law, Anne Yoder of Colorado; a foster son, Ron Gulley, and a foster daughter, Charlene Givens and her husband, Larry, all of Kansas City, Mo.; a brother, Chester of Chula Vista, Calif.; two sisters, Flossie Fosnight and Dorothy Schantz, both of Wichita; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by twin sons, Gene Martin and Dene Delos Yoder.
A memorial service was held at Downing & Lahey Mortuary West Chapel in Wichita. A graveside service was held at Pleasant Valley Mennonite Cemetery in Harper.

James L. Byler
James Lee Byler, 56, of Montrose, Colo., died Nov. 1, 2002, at Montrose Memorial Hospital. He was born April 10, 1946, to Chester L. and Miriam (Smoker) Byler in Lancaster. Pa. He spent his childhood in the Phoenix, Ariz., area.
On Dec. 31, 1966, he married Sarah Frances Campbell n Harrisonburg, Va. They resided in Maryland, where he was employed for 29 years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, where he received many awards for outstanding service.
He loved to travel; an extended sightseeing and snow-skiing trip to New Zealand in 1993 with wife, Sarah, was one of his favorite memories. He especially enjoyed sports and the outdoors; he was an expert snow-skier and water-skier. He was much loved and will be greatly missed by his family and many friends.
Survivors include his wife, Sarah C. Byler of Montrose; his mother, Miriam Byler of Montrose; a sister, Janice L. Auker of Montrose; and two brothers, Jason L. of Montrose and Jon L. of Camp Verde, Ariz.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Jerry and Chester Wynn Byler.
A memorial service was held at the Crippin Funeral Home Chapel.

Sarah E. Campbell
Sarah Elizabeth Coffman Campbell, 92, of Dayton, Va., died July 27, 2002, at Rockingham Memorial Hospital. She was born Sept. 24, 1909, to Homer W. and Ella Frances Swope Coffman in Rockingham County.
She was employed as a telephone operator at Bridgewater College. As a homemaker, she is remembered for her abilities in comfort making, sewing, family genealogy knowledge and enjoyment of family reunions. She served on the genealogy committee for the History of the Swope Family and Descendants of Rockingham County, Va., and the supplement to the history. She contributed several items for the Backroads periodical in Augusta County. Several of her hints and recipes were included in the printing of church cookbooks and also in the widely known book, More for Less. She was a member of Weavers Mennonite Church and Sunday school class. Her lineage began with Samuel Coffman, bishop of Virginia Mennonite Church, and Frances Weaver Coffman; Pastor Joseph Weaver Coffman and Sarah Heatwole Coffman; and her parents, Homer William Coffman and Ella Frances Swope Coffman. She contributed to and participated in the 1988 celebration of the John S. Coffman Endowed Chair at Eastern Mennonite University's Center for Evangelism and Church Planting. John S. Coffman was her uncle.
On June 8, 1932, she married Raymond Ercil Campbell Sr. of Waynesboro, who preceded her in death on July 25, 1982.
Survivors include three sons, R. Ersel and his wife, Frances, Heber C., and Lewis S. and his wife, Phyllis, all of Harrisonburg; three daughters, Barbara C. Showalter and her husband, William Jr., of Harrisonburg, Sarah C. Byler and her husband, James, of Montrose, Colo., and Dorcas C. Blair and her husband, Robert, of Stephens City; two sisters, Phoebe Coffman of Dayton and Naomi Swartz of Har- risonburg; two brothers, Paul Coffman of Harrisonburg and Samuel Coffman of Elkton; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, Robert, Amos and David Coffman.
A memorial service was held at Weavers Mennonite Church.

Bertha Klaassen
Bertha (Wiebe) Klaassen, 95, died Dec. 16, 2002, at the Good Samaritan Village of Mountain Lake, Minn., after suffering a heart attack on Dec. 7. She was born Dec. 24, 1906, to Abram P. and Elizabeth (Loewen) Wiebe.
The family lived on a farm three miles northeast of Delft in Cottonwood County, Minn. She was the oldest of three children. Their mother died when she was 13 years old. They received a stepmother, Katherine Esau, some months later.
Her education included two years in Mountain Lake Bible School and correspondence high school with the American School of Chicago. She attended Mankato Teacher's College, majoring in elementary education to obtain a teaching certificate. She then taught school for two years.
She was baptized June 1, 1925, and received into membership at Bergfelder Mennonite Church, now Lakeview Gospel Church in Mountain Lake. There she taught Sunday school many of her adult years and took part in King's Co-Workers Mission Society, holding most of its offices.
On Sept. 6, 1932, she married Henry P. Klaassen. As he was a farmer, she enjoyed the farm very much with its animals, fruits, garden and flowers. Two children, Bernice Ann and Eldon Henry, were born to them.
They retired from farming in 1971, building a new home in Mountain Lake. On Nov. 1, 1996, she became one of the first residents of Parkwood Place.
She experienced much joy in travel, quilting, sewing for "Care and Share," making stuffed animals for sale, reading, and in her later years, sewing quilt tops.
Survivors include her children, Bernice Esau and her husband, John, of North Newton, Kan., and Eldon and his wife, Mary, of Wichita, Kan.; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Henry, on Dec. 9, 1983; a brother, Clarence Wiebe, on Jan. 23, 1965; and a sister, Katherine Nickel, on Jan. 15, 1985.
Services were held at Lakeview Gospel Church.