Mennonite Weekly Review
September 1, 2003
81st Year, No. 35
p. 12

William Unger
William Unger, 81, died July 30, 2003. He was born June 24, 1922.
During World War II, because of a teacher shortage, he was asked to be principal of a two-room school. After only a few months of teaching, he was drafted by the Army at age 19. He was a conscientious objector, and the review board decided to send him right back to the classroom because of his excellent teaching record.
After the war, he attended Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., and drove the Newton city bus.
After graduating from Bethel in 1950, he went to British Columbia, where he taught math and physics in high school and college until his retirement. He helped found the BC Science Teachers Association and was its first president. He taught students to do their own research.
He founded the Chilliwack Mission Church and directed a choir.
Survivors include two daughters, Rosalyn Burn and her husband, Simon, and Julie Lane and her husband, Sandy; and five grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lena, in 2000.

Mennonite Weekly Review
September 8, 2003
81st Year, No. 36
p. 12

Arpa Wedel
Arpa Wedel, 89, of Goessel, Kan., died Aug. 15, 2003, at Bethesda Home. She was born Feb. 17, 1914, to Benjamin B. and Katerina (Krause) Wedel in Goessel.
She grew up on a farm in a family of predominately girls, so learned at a young age to work very hard. She had to beg her father to let her go to high school and walked many miles to be able to attend school.
After graduating from Goessel High School in 1933, she attended Bethel College in North Newton. She received a teacher's certificate and taught for seven years in rural schools in the Goessel and Whitewater areas. She added to her college credits until she received her bachelor's degree in education in 1950 from Colorado State College in Greeley.
In 1947, she left the farm, bought a home in Hutchinson and began teaching in the Hutchinson school district. She spent her summers traveling and attending classes, working to obtain a master's degree, which she did in 1955 from Colorado State College.
She taught various grades in elementary schools in Hutchinson. She taught for two years in Germany at the Frankfurt American School. She was a Delta Kappa Gamma member and enjoyed the company of her fellow teachers.
After retiring in 1979, she served with Mennonite Voluntary Service to teach remedial reading at Potter Thomas Inner City School in Philadelphia for one year. Her hobbies included woodcarving, sewing, quilting, gardening and traveling. She volunteered as manager at the Et Cetera Shop in Hutchinson for several years.
She moved to Mennonite Friendship Manor in 1997. In September 2002, she moved to Bethesda Home.
Her faith in God was an example to her students and those around her. She transferred her membership from Alexanderwohl to First Mennonite in Hutchinson on May 25, 1956, and was a faithful member and worker in the church.
She shared a lifetime with her sister, Tina, and missed her tremendously when she died in 2000.
Others who preceded her in death were sisters Ruth Wedel and Margaret Gilmer; half-sisters Lena Unruh, Mathilda Goertzen, Elizabeth Wedel, Hannah Unruh, Marie Banman and Ida Doerksen; and brother Ben Wedel.

Ruth E. Longenecker
Ruth E. Longenecker, 84, of Chambersburg, Pa., died Aug. 2, 2003. She was born Jan. 5, 1919, to Amon K. and Elizabeth Z. Miller Kreider in Flory Mills.
She attended West Side Brethren in Christ Church of Chambersburg and Black Oak Mennonite Church in Warfordsburg.
Survivors include her husband, Elmer Z. Longenecker; a daughter, Eunice E. Stoner and her husband, Ben, of Farmington, N.M.; two sons, Dale K. and his wife, Ellen, of Millersville, and Alton K. and his wife, Lois, of Elkhart, Ind.; a brother, Martin F. Kreider of Milford, Del.; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, Elmer F.; and a sister, Ethel Zeger.
Services were held at West Side Brethren in Christ Church. Burial was in Shopes Mennonite Cemetery in Highspire.

Wilfred E. Harder
Wilfred E. Harder, 70, of Aberdeen, Idaho, died Aug. 12, 2003. He was born July 19, 1933, to Willie and Catherina Wiebe Harder in Whitewater, Kan. He attended Berean Academy in Elbing and married Joan Saner on April 10, 1955.
They first lived in Palo Alto, Calif., then moved to his farm place near Aberdeen, Idaho. He was a cabinet and woodwork specialist and became the woodwork teacher at Aberdeen High School. He was able to finish the 2002 school year despite failing health. A scholarship memorial for the high school was established in his name.
Survivors include his wife, Joan; four children, Mike and his wife, Mary, of Boise, Lorna Harwood and her husband, Brett, of Pocatello, Lesa Weaver and her husband, Matt, of Bosmont, Wyo., and Chris and his wife, Rebeca, of Vancouver, Wash.; and 10 grandchildren.
Services were held at Aberdeen High School by his Vineyard Worship Team. Burial was in the Mennonite Church Cemetery in Aberdeen.

Vera Mae Kuhns
Vera Mae Kuhns, 77, of Harrisonburg, Va., died July 25, 2003. She was born April 3, 1926, at Greencastle, Pa., the daughter of David L. and Rhoda Diller Martin.
She was past president of the Menno Haven Retirement Community Auxiliary Board in Chambersburg, Pa., and past president of Mennonite Women at Cedar Grove Mennonite Church, Greencastle, Pa., and at Park View Mennonite Church. She was a member of the World Treasures Founding Board in Hagerstown, Md., and a member of the Associates of Servanthood at Eastern Mennonite University from 1980-83. She was known for her beautiful wedding cakes, quilts and food preparation. She moved to Harrisonburg with her husband in 1980. She was a homemaker and a member of Park View Mennonite Church.
She is survived by her husband, Harold Daniel Kuhns; a son, Dennis Kuhns of Mount Pleasant, Iowa; four daughters, Gloria Swartzendruber and Brenda Maust, both of Pigeon, Mich., Loretta Helmuth of Harrisonburg and Pamela Risser of Greencastle, Pa.; three brothers, Nelson Martin of Chambersburg, Pa., Elwood Martin of State Line, Pa., and Warren Martin of Mercersburg, Pa.; four sisters, Isabelle Bumbaugh of Maugansville, Md., and Lovina Bear, Wilma Martin and Elva Stauffer, all of Greencastle, Pa.; 15 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral was at Park View Mennonite Church. Burial was at Cedar Grove Mennonite Church Cemetery at Greencastle, Pa.

September 15 - no obituaries published

Mennonite Weekly Review
September 22, 2003
81st Year, No. 38
p. 8

Evelyn K. Mumaw
Evelyn K. Mumaw, 83, of Harrisonburg, Va., died July 30, 2003, at Crestwood of Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community. She was born Nov. 28, 1919, to Irvin J. and Cora Shank King in Royersford, Pa.
In June 1965, she married John R. Mumaw. He preceded her in death on June 20, 1993.
She received a bachelor's degree in religious education from Eastern Mennonite University in 1951 and a master's in education from Madison College in 1961. She served as dean of women at EMU until 1968. She served as president and vice president of the Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community auxiliary for four years and was a member of the board of directors at Pleasant View Homes for 10 years. For nine years she served as a book reviewer.
She was a writer and authored several books, including Women Alone, More Like Jesus, A Journey Through Grief and The Merging. She also wrote numerous articles for church papers and historical magazines. She was a member of the Shenandoah Valley Mennonite Historians and was an active member of Dayton Mennonite Church, where she served on various committees.
Survivors include four stepdaughters, Grace Mumaw of Harrisonburg, Catherine Mumaw of Corvallis, Ore., Lois Martin of Lancaster, Pa., and Miriam Mumaw of Arlington; a brother, Aaron King of Harrisonburg; three sisters, Cora King of Harrisonburg, Laura Ramer of Myerstown, Pa., and Almeda Stoltfus of Paraguay; six stepgrandchildren and 14 step-great-grandchildren.
Services were held at Dayton Mennonite Church. Burial was in Lindale Mennonite Church Cemetery.

Gladys Thelma Geigley
Gladys Thelma (Martin) Geigley, 83, of Montrose, Colo., died July 22, 2003, in Cove, Ore. She was born Oct. 18, 1919, to Clarence D. and Esther H. Martin near Leitersburg, Md.
On Dec. 25, 1938, she married Roy M. Geigley in a triple ceremony with his two sisters.
She gave her heart to the Lord at a young age and was faithful until death. She was a member of Sunny View Mennonite Church of Montrose.
She was a busy mother and homemaker and faithfully stood by her husband's side as a bishop's wife. Many remember her friendly, ready hospitality and her love of flowers and children. It was sad to see her mind and body waste away due to Alzheimer's disease.
Survivors include seven sons, Ray and his wife, Dorothy, of Chambersburg, Pa., Donald and his wife, Esther, of Beavertown, Melvin and his wife, Arlene, of Phoenix, Ariz., Glen and his wife, Mary Ellen, of Centreville, Mich., Arlin and his wife, Rebecca, of Montrose, Alvin and his wife, Carolyn, of Kalona, Iowa, and Leon and his wife, Barbara, of Shipshewana, Ind.; two daughters, Anna Lois Miller and her husband, J. Glenn, of Farmington, N.M., and Esther Mae Kauffman and her husband, Harley, of Cove, Ore.; two brothers, Eldon Martin of Columbia, Pa., and Harold Martin of Phoenix, Ariz.; a sister, Leola Bange of Lititz, Pa.; 36 grandchildren and 62 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy; a son, Melvin; an infant sister; and three grandchildren.
Services were held at Sunny View Mennonite Church. Burial was in the church's cemetery at Olathe, Colo.

Joe Johns
Joe Johns, 59, of Sheridan, Mich., died Sept. 5, 2003, from leukemia. He was born in Goshen, Ind., on April 26, 1944.
As a young man, he served as an orderly in Portland, Ore., for his 1-W alternative service, which gave him a love for health care. After 1-W, he received training and worked as an x-ray techician in various hospitals in west-central Michigan for 35 years.
In 1992, he became president of the national registry of x-ray technicians known as the American Registry of Clinical Radiography Technologists, which later merged, under his leadership, with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.
He had a quick wit and enjoyed the opportunities of e-mail to keep in touch with people. He frequently thought about what it means to follow Jesus today: He wanted to do the right thing. Many of his e-mails in recent years had to do with how to understand from a biblical and theological point of view the issues facing him and other believers in today's world. He was a tireless supporter of the Mennonite and community congregations he attended in central Michigan.
Survivors include his wife, Jeanette Sherwood Johns, of Sheridan; his parents, Galen and Edith Hoover Johns, of New Paris, Ind.; a son, Jason Johns, of Sheridan; a daughter, Jenica Johns Arntz and her husband, Brian, of Sheridan; three brothers, Steve, Loren and Lin of Goshen, Ind.; and a sister, Lois Johns Kaufmann of New Paris, Ind.
A memorial service was held at Greenville Community Church in Greenville, Mich.

Marilyn K. Studer
Marilyn K. Studer, 73, of Lansdale, Pa., died Sept. 12, 2003, in the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania as a result of injuries sustained when she was struck by a car. She was born to Ward and Myrtle (Miller) Kreider in Wadsworth, Ohio.
She attended Goshen (Ind.) College and the University of Pittsburgh. She earned her master's degree in elementary education at Beaver College, now Arcadia University, in Glenside.
She married Gerald C. Studer on June 16, 1950. He was pastor at Plains Mennonite Church in Hatfield for 17 years. They lived in Lansdale since 1973 and formerly lived in Scottdale and Smithville, Ohio.
Most of her working years were spent in elementary education. She began her career in Scottdale, where she taught Head Start for four years. After moving to Lansdale, she was a first-grade teacher at Penn View Christian School in Souderton for 26 years. After retirement, she worked part time at the Souderton Brethren in Christ Church preschool for four years, and was a tutor at Teach Me Tutoring of Souderton until this year.
She was an active member of the served where they lived and faithfully helped her husband in his ministry. She and her husband taught at the graduate seminary in Pune, India, in 1984. For a number of years, she served as secretary to the Calvary Hour Radio Ministry.
She will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother and grandmother and as a gifted teacher. She loved her family and the children she taught.
Survivors include her husband, Gerald; two daughters, Jerri Longacre and her husband, Glen, of Port Deposit, Md., and Maria DiDomenico and her fiance, Robert Fluck of Harleysville; a brother, Robert Kreider of Florida; and three grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Mindy, and a brother, Sidney Kreider.
Services were held at Plains Mennonite Church. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Marilyn M. Miller
Marilyn M. Miller, 69, died Aug. 12, 2003, in Goshen, Ind., after a courageous 11-month battle with cancer. She was born June 23, 1934, to C. Olen and Hilda Shoup Swinehart near Orrville, Ohio.
On Aug. 27, 1955, she married D. Richard Miller in Orrville.
She was a 1952 graduate of Apple Creek (Ohio) High School and a 1959 graduate of Goshen College.
She was an elementary school teacher for 31 years, primarily in Fort Dodge, Iowa. She and her husband lived in Fort Dodge for nearly 41 years, and moved to Goshen almost eight weeks before her death. She died as she lived - with a strong faith, determination and dignity.
She was a member of Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship of Goshen.
Recent organization memberships or other involvement in Fort Dodge included Community Bible Study, Delta Kappa Gamma, Evangelical Mennonite Church, Family Development Council, First Baptist Church and Webster County Retired School Personnel. She received the Golden Apple Award for teaching from the Fort Dodge Chamber of Commerce. She volunteered as mentor in the Fort Dodge Community Schools Bridges Program. In recent years she served on the board of directors of Community Day Care and Fort Dodge Area Symphony. She also had served on the Iowa-Nebraska Conference Board of Congregational Ministries.
Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Christine Miller of Fort Wayne; three sons, Daniel and his wife, Nadine, and Philip and his wife, Jean, both of Goshen, and David and his wife, Lori, of Wichita, Kan.; a sister, Elaine Troyer of Fargo, N.D.; and three grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship. A memorial service was held at First Baptist Church in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Burial was in Violett Cemetery.

Mennonite Weekly Review
September 29, 2003
81st Year, No. 39
p. 8

Glenn V. Troyer
Glenn V. Troyer, 81, of Union City, Pa., died suddenly Aug. 22, 2003, of a heart attack. He was born Nov. 16, 1921, to Perry and Elsa (Roth) Troyer in Milford, Neb.
At age 16 his family moved to Erie County, Pa., for better agricultural opportunities due to a drought in Nebraska.
He married Mary Phyllis Yoder on June 24, 1950.
He and his brother, John, began a potato farming operation in 1946. He continued to be active in his agri-businesses with his son, Ron, until his death.
He was active in his community, participating in various local, state and national organizations, including being a longtime member of Mennonite Economic Development Associates. He was a member of Beaverdam Mennonite Church of Corry.
His priorities centered on his Christian faith and family relationships. In the winter, he resided with his wife, Mary, at their home in Sarasota, Fla., where they enjoyed golf and their many friends.
Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Barbara Springer and her husband, Roger, of Carlisle, Karen Ramseyer and her husband, Dennis, of Wooster, Ohio, and Debra Bontrager and her husband, Mervin, of Smithville, Ohio; a son, Ronald and his wife, Debora, of Waterford; four sisters, Vera McDonald and Shirley Peachey of Sarasota, Fla., Thelma Hurst of Waterford and Carol Peachey of Myakka City, Fla.; two brothers, Eugene of Cambridge Springs and Cleo of Meadville; and 15 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, John and Paul; and a sister, Dorothy Troyer.
Funeral services were at Beaverdam Mennonite Church. Burial was in Beaverdam Lawn Cemetery in Corry.

Selma Schmidt
Selma Schmidt, 85, died July 31, 2003, at Newton (Kan.) Medical Center. She was born March 14, 1918, to Isaac and Aganetha Unruh Fast on a farm south of Goessel.
She and her family lived together with her paternal grandparents, Isaac and Susanna Fast. At age 10, her parents and siblings moved to the home of her maternal grandmother, Mrs. Kornelius Unruh. The extended family life was a blessing.
Selma's elementary education was at the Gordon and Green Valley grade schools. She graduated from Goessel High School and continued on to Bethel College for two years to get the credits for her teaching certificate. Her teaching experience included such schools as Rose Hill near Lehigh, Green Valley near Goessel, Bogue in Manhattan and Lincoln and Jefferson in Newton. When she taught in Newton, she lived at home so she could assist her aging parents. She was the main caregiver during her mother's last years of life.
She was baptized in 1937 and became an active member of Goessel Mennonite Church.
On July 22, 1969, she married Milton Schmidt and soon after that joined Tabor Mennonite Church. In 1973, they adopted four sisters: Barbara, Linda, Patricia and Kathy.
She attended the General Conference at Estes Park in Colorado and the Mennonite World Conference assemblies in Amsterdam and Wichita, where she helped with the children's activities. She and Milton regularly attended the MCC sales in Hutchinson and contributed many plants to the sales. When people from Laos and other Asian and African countries became homeless, she and Milton made it possible for families to come to the U.S.
She was a member of the Goessel Garden Club, Retired Teachers' Association and Tabor Church Willing Helpers.
Survivors include her husband, Milton; four daughters, Barbara Unruh and her husband, Jeffrey, Linda Graber and her husband, Jerry, Pat Schmidt, and Kathy Voth and her husband, Tim; a brother, Menno Fast; a sister, Martha Waltner; and nine grandchildren.

Hilda Pearl Troyer
Hilda Pearl Troyer, 88, of Chenoa, Ill., died Aug. 21, 2003, at Meadows Mennonite Home. She was born Feb. 12, 1915, to Earl and Blanche Sucher Kline in Edgerton, Ohio.
She married Lotus Troyer on May 4, 1941, in Waterloo, Ind. He preceded her in death on Dec. 19, 1994.
She was a member of Meadows Mennonite Church. She was a graduate of Methodist School of Nursing in Fort Wayne, Ind. She was an avid historian and genealogist.
Survivors include a son, Lyle and his wife, Edna, of Lorain, Ohio; two daughters, Lila Eschenfelder of Peoria and Marj Troyer of Irving, Texas; a sister, Marcile Viers of Hamilton Lake, Ind.; two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lotus; a brother, Earl Kline; and a granddaughter, Sharon.

Arnold Claassen
Arnold Claassen, 85, of North Newton, Kan., died Sept. 6, 2003. He was born March 8, 1918, to Jacob Peter and Margaretha (Goossen) Claassen near Beatrice, Neb.
He grew up on a farm near Ellis, attending grade school and one year of high school there, followed by two years at the Mennonite Academy near Beatrice. The next two years were spent working on the family farm, which he assumed at the time would probably be his life's vocation. However, in the fall of 1936 he sensed God's leading toward completion of high school, which he did, graduating from Beatrice High School in 1938.
After high school, he received certification to teach in one-room rural schools in Nebraska, which he did for four years. With the outbreak of World War II, he was drafted and entered Civilian Public Service in 1942, spending time at a Forest Service camp near Camino, Calif., a state mental hospital in Provo, Utah, and at Alexian Brothers General Hospital in Chicago. While in Chicago, he became interested in medical work, and after being discharged in 1946 he pursued his studies at Bethel College and the St. John's Hospital School of Medical Technology in Tulsa, Okla.
He married Anna Margret Reimer of Beatrice on May 31, 1946. In 1949, they moved to the Newton area, where they joined First Mennonite Church, and he took a position in the Bethel Deaconess Hospital laboratory, where he remained until his retirement in 1984, spending many of those years as chief technologist. In retirement, his activities included various church responsibilities, work with the Gideons International, volunteer tutoring, gardening, woodworking and spending time with his grandchildren.
Survivors include his wife, Anna Margret, of North Newton; three children, Timothy of Hutchinson, Samuel and his wife, Barbara, of McPherson, and Marjie Warkentine and her husband, Kendal, of Wichita; a sister, Gertrude Claassen of Beatrice; and six grandchildren.

Vernon E. Yoder
Vernon E. Yoder, 72, of Hesston, Kan., died Sept. 21, 2003, at Newton Medical Center. He was born July 2, 1931, to Eli T. and Ida M. (Plank) Yoder in Newton.
He married Dolores Langshaw on Dec. 22, 1953, in Nevada, Mo.
He was a graduate of Bethel College in North Newton. He graduated from the Kansas City School of Nursing in 1954. He also graduated from the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.
He served an internship at Dallas Veterans Hospital and his psychiatric residency at the University of Colorado Medical Center from 1962 to 1967. He served as medical director and as a psychiatrist at Prairie View Health Center in Newton.
He was a member of Whitestone Mennonite Church. He was a member of the Harvey County Medical Society and Kansas Medical Society, and a Fellow in the American Psychiatric Society.
Survivors include his wife, Dolores; two sons, James of Newton and Kent of Hesston; three daughters, Cynthia Askren of New Cambria, Susan Yoder of Wichita and Sharon Wiens of Orlando, Fla.; two brothers, J. Arnold Yoder of Yoder, Colo., and Lawrence Yoder of Newton; a sister, Mary Kathryn Stucky of Moundridge; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services were held at Hesston Mennonite Church. Burial was in East Lawn Cemetery.