Mennonite Weekly Review - January 6, 2003 - 81st Year, No. 1

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Nettie Yoder
Nettie Stutzman Yoder, 90, of Kalona, Iowa, died Dec. 17, 2002, at Pleasantview Home. She was born to Alvin and Barbara Saltzman Stutzman in Milford, Neb.
She graduated from high school in Milford and attended Teachers Normal Training in Lincoln, Neb., and Goshen (Ind.) College. She taught in one-room country schools for four years.
On Jan. 1, 1938, she married Donald D. Yoder in Milford. They lived and farmed in the Kalona area all of their lives. She enjoyed gardening, quilting and helping with woodworking that he finished.
She was a member of Kalona Mennonite Church and belonged to the WMSC.
Survivors include five children, Joy Hess and her husband, Owen, of Goshen; Robert and his wife, Jan, of Bettendorf, Iowa; Fred and his wife, Sheryl, of Winfield, Ill.; Mary Glick and her husband, Ervie, of Harrisonburg, Va.; and Martha Graber and her husband, Myron, of Washington, Iowa; exchange student son Aliko Songolo and his wife, Emilie, of Madison, Wis.; 14 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald, on Dec. 7, 2000; and a sister, Fannie Stutzman.
Funeral services were held at Kalona Mennonite Church. Burial was in the South Gingerich cemetery north of Kalona.

Mennonite Weekly Review - January 13, 2003 - 81st Year, No. 2 - p. 8

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Wayne N. Kratz
Wayne N. Kratz, 89, died Dec. 30, 2002, in the skilled nursing unit at Souderton (Pa.) Mennonite Homes. He was born to Sylvanus Funk and Lizzie Alderfer (Nyce) Kratz in Skippack Township.
His family moved to Souderton when he was 14 years old. He was married to Amanda L. Mininger Kratz for almost 65 years. They moved to Souderton Mennonite Homes in 1979. She died in 2000.
He was employed in various capacities in several of the local clothing industries, including the former Poole & Sons in Lansdale, where he was a supervisor.
He was a longtime member of Plains Mennonite Church in Hatfield, where he was ordained as a minister in 1949 and served in that capacity for 17 years. He was also pastoral coordinator for the 1-W units in the northeast. After moving to Souderton Mennonite Homes, he assisted with pastoral duties for a number of years.
Survivors include three children, Wayne M. and his wife, Dolores, and Laverne M. and his wife, Linda, all of Souderton, and Jane Haines and her husband, Carroll, of Eden, N.C.; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Amanda; four sisters, Linda Johnson, Esther Landis, Martha Kratz and Lizzie Mae Ruth; and two brothers, Frank N. and Samuel N. Kratz.
Funeral services were held at Souderton Mennonite Homes. Burial was in Plains Mennonite Cemetery.

Mennonite Weekly Review - January 20, 2003 - 81st Year, No. 3 - p. 8

Laura Schrag
Laura Nettie (Sherk) Schrag, 88, of Harrisonburg, Va., died Sept. 19, 2002. She was born March 15, 1914, to Alvin E and Barbara (Schmetzer) Sherk in Elmira, Ont. She grew up in Elmira and was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod). At age 18 she was baptized into the Mennonite Church.
She attended Ontario Mennonite Bible School in Kitchener, Ont., where she met Gordon Schrag, whom she married June 16, 1937. He was ordained into the ministry, and she spent most of her active lifetime supporting his ministry. She became known for her hospitality and friendliness to strangers.
They planted mission congregations near Stouffville and Alma, Ont., from 1937 to 1945. In 1946, they moved to Lowville, N.Y., where he pastored First Mennonite Church of New Bremen and she led singing and summer Bible school and hosted many guests.
In 1956, they moved their family to Goshen, Ind., where she and her family could attend Goshen College. After taking secretarial courses, she worked at Mennonite Historical Library on Goshen College campus and at Mennonite Mutual Aid in Goshen. From 1964 to 1966 she served as hostess at the Voluntary Service Center at Mennonite Board of Missions in Elkhart. In 1967 they moved to Calico Rock, Ark., where he pastored and she continued her ministry of hostess and support. She was active in community organizations, including the Garden Club, director of the 50+ Club, and hospital auxiliary.
In 1976 she retired to Harrisonburg. There she was known for her friendliness and frequent visits to people in Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community, where they resided from 1981 on. She loved singing, reading, visiting with people and playing Skip-Bo. She is remembered for encouraging others.
Survivors include a daughter, Mary Kauffman of Harrisonburg; three sons, Keith of Ames, Iowa, James of Sarasota, Fla., and Mark of East Lansing, Mich.; a sister, Gladys Schlueter of Kitchener; eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

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Matilda Lambright Gage
Matilda Lambright Gage, 98, of Glencroft Retirement Center in Glendale, Ariz., died Jan. 8, 2003. She was born Oct. 31, 1904, to Michael and Susanna (Yoder) Lambright in Lagrange County, Ind.
On Feb. 5, 1938, she married Theodore Gage. They had one son, Lyle Frederick, who died July 6, 1940.
She served a number of years on the staff of the Mennonite Hospital and nurses' training school in La Junta, Colo. For 13 years she owned and operated a Christian bookstore in Lagrange, and later a bookstore in La Junta. Several families benefited from her loving household care when mothers experienced untimely death.
She was a member of Emmanuel Mennonite Church of Surprise, Ariz., where her talents were used in the service of the congregation.
Survivors include a brother, Harold Lambright; and Elizabeth (Betty) Burton, with whom she shared her home for many years.
She was preceded in death by five brothers, Evan, Fred, Cleo, Guy and Clarence; and two sisters, Sara Schrock and Grace Leer.
Memorial services were held at Glencroft Community Church and at Shore Mennonite Church in Shipshewana, Ind.

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Joel Abraham Troyer
Joel Abraham Troyer, 79, of Kokomo, Ind., died Dec. 19, 2002.
He was a charter member of Parkview Mennonite Church of Kokomo.
He is remembered for his life of service and self-giving in the church and in the community. A contractor by vocation, he was a disciple of Jesus who took his faith seriously and ministered both through his verbal testimony and his giving. Just before his death, Parkinson's disease greatly affected his life.
Survivors include his four daughters, Rachael Hochstedler and her husband, Robert; Anna Lois Mohr and her husband, Ron; Carol Shank and her husband, Michael; and Phyllis Arroyo and her husband, David; and eight grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his spouse, Mary Ellen Haarer.
Memorial services were held at Howard-Miami Mennonite Church.

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Ruth H. Rittenhouse
Ruth H. Rittenhouse, 94, of Souderton, Pa., died Jan. 10, 2003. She was born to Henry and Annie (Moyer) Hackman in Franconia Township.
She was married for more than 71 years to Jacob Z. Rittenhouse, retired pastor of Lansdale Mennonite Church, who preceded her in death on Aug. 9, 2002. They lived in Lansdale for many years until moving to Souderton Mennonite Homes in 1993.
As a longtime member of Lansdale Mennonite Church and a minister's wife, she lovingly provided hospitality to members of the congregation, community, visitors and guest speakers.
She enjoyed and participated in singing as an expression of her love to God through music. Her attributes included a humble and gracious spirit, demonstrated by her cheerful attitude and expressed by her winning smile. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed cooking and experimenting with new recipes and foods.
Survivors include a daughter, Evelyn R. Nice of Barhamsville, Va., a son, Jacob H. Rittenhouse and his wife, Nancy, of Hesston, Kan.; six grandsons and 12 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jacob Z. Rittenhouse; and a brother, Lester Hackman.
Funeral services were held at Souderton Mennonite Homes. Burial was in Plains Mennonite Cemetery.

Mennonite Weekly Review - January 27, 2003 - 81st Year, No. 4 - p. 12

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Christopher Gerber
Christopher James Gerber, 14, of Mishawaka, Ind., died Oct. 24, 2002, of cardiac arrest. He was born June 26, 1988, to James and Bonnie (Yoder) Gerber.
He was an eighth-grader at Grissom Middle School. He was a member of the 4-H Goat Club, played in the percussion section in the school band and attended Holdeman Mennonite Church.
Survivors include his parents, James and Bonnie Gerber; a sister, Beth Gerber; grandparents, Carl and Ruth Yoder of Goshen and Wayne and Willodean Gerber of Mishawaka; and a great-grandmother, Berniece Martin of Wakarusa.
Graveside services were held at Olive West Cemetery. Memorial services were held at Holdeman Mennonite Church.

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John Erb
John Erb, 73, of Hesston, Kan., died Nov. 3, 2002, at Newton Medical Center. He was born July 3, 1929, to John K. and Lena Oswald Erb at Beemer, Neb.
He married Doris Hershberger on June 12, 1949, at Detroit Lakes, Minn. She preceded him in death on Jan. 21, 1991.
He was a farmer and antique restorer. He moved to Detroit Lakes in 1943 and to Hesston in 1975.
Survivors include a son, Dwight of Moundridge; two daughters, Janet Terry of Gardner and Julie Stephens of Newton; two brothers, Ezra Erb of Weatherford, Okla., and Walter Erb of Hesston; a sister, Ruby Greaser of Harrisonville, Mo.; and eight grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at Hesston Mennonite Church. Burial was in Eastlawn Cemetery near Zimmerdale.

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Luella V. Hostetler
Luella V. (Lehman) Hostetler, 92, of Orrville, Ohio, died Jan. 5, 2003. She was born Feb. 18, 1910, to David O. and Christina (Sprunger) Lehman in Berne, Ind.
She was a 1928 graduate of Orrville High School. She married Emerson M. Hostetler on Oct. 14, 1928. He preceded her in death on Nov. 8, 1989.
She lived most of her life in the Dalton area. She was a homemaker with an influential ministry of prayer, listening with compassion and love that touched the lives of many in the community.
She shared many years with the fellowship at former HiWay Chapel of East Greenville. She was a member of Pleasant View Mennonite Church, where she taught Sunday school, participated in the homemakers group and supported missions.
Survivors include seven children, David and his wife, Rose, of Scottdale, Pa.; Anne Fath and her husband, Albert, of Dalton; John and his wife, Ann, of Evensville, Tenn.; Ron and his wife, Anna Mae, of Orrville; Jep and his wife, Joyce, of Columbus; Dan and his wife, Sue, of Dalton; and Jayne Coffy and her husband, Robert, of Wooster; a sister, Florence Zimmerman; 24 grandchildren and 50 great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Emerson; three brothers, Vernon, Gordon and Orlin Lehman; two sisters, Glenna Lehman and Agnes Buchwalter; and a grandson, Gary Hostetler.
Services were held at Pleasant View Mennonite Church of North Lawrence. Burial was in Martin's Mennonite Church Cemetery near Orrville.

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Raymond Ratzlaff
Raymond Ratzlaff, 99, of Wichita, Kan., died Jan. 10, 2003, at Goddard Medicalodge Health Center. He was born in 1903 in Meno, Okla., and was a grandson of Johann Ratzlaff, who founded New Hopedale Mennonite Church of Meno.
He was a member of Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church in Wichita, where he and his wife, Margaret, lived for many years after moving from Meno. She preceded him in death.
He will be remembered as a bass soloist, for his participation in choirs and quartets, and for his leadership and involvement in many church activities.
Survivors include a daughter, DeMar Regier of Prairie Village; two sons, Arden of Wichita and Gordon of Osaka, Japan; a step-daughter, Caroline Shoemaker of Broken Arrow, Okla.; a brother, Harold of Newton; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. March 1 at Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church.