There were no obits in the March 1, 2004 issue of MWR.
Mennonite Weekly Review - March 8, 2004 - 82nd Year, No. 10, p. 12
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Willis J. Graber, 85, of Wayland, Iowa, died Feb. 16, 2004, at Henry County Health Center. He was born Dec. 2, 1918, to Joseph and Barbara Rich Graber in Henry County.
He received his schooling at rural Douglas Elementary School and attended Wayland High School.
On May 23, 1943, he married Marjorie Watts.
They lived in the Wayland area all their married life. They enjoyed traveling and volunteered at summer camps in Michigan, Iowa and Pennsylvania. They hosted several exchange students in their home and fostered several children. He spoke fluent German and enjoyed dialogue with many visitors who spoke that language.
He farmed for many years. He was a lifelong member of Sugar Creek Mennonite Church, where he was a Sunday school teacher, a trustee and a member of the Loyal Companions Sunday School Class.
Survivors include his wife, Marjorie; two sons, Larry and his wife, Violet, of Wayland and Wendell and his wife, Linda, of Story City; a foster daughter, Vickie Paulsen and her husband, Doug, of Eldridge; a brother, Raymond Graber of Mount Pleasant; five sisters, Rachel Wyse, Berniece Roth and Beulah Mae Swartzendruber, all of Wayland, and Lois Swartzendruber and Sara Lu Frederick, both of Wellman; and eight grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by an infant son, Ronald Dean Graber, in 1945; a daughter, Sharon Kay Graber, in 1970; a sister, Wilma Nelson; and two brothers, Clarence Graber and Virgil Graber.
Services were held at Sugar Creek Mennonite Church of rural Wayland. Burial was in Sugar Creek Cemetery.
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Verna Linda (Enns) Guengerich, 93, died Feb. 3, 2004, at Aurora (Colo.) Care Center. She was born Sept. 7, 1910, to Isaac P. and Katherine F. (Unger) Enns near Rocky Ford.
She graduated from Cheraw High School in 1926. She then attended Colorado State Normal School in Greeley, where she received teaching credentials in commercial studies and math in 1928.
After graduating, she joined the staff of Hesston (Kan.) College and Academy. After a year on staff, she went to Goshen (Ind.) College and received a bachelor of science in education degree in 1933. She then rejoined Hesston College staff and taught through spring of 1940.
On Sept. 1, 1938, she married Willard Eldon Guengerich at her parent’s home near Cheraw. In the summer of 1940, they moved to Colorado and lived there, except for two years, the rest of her life. They lived in Glenwood Springs from 1955 to 2000.
She was instrumental in starting a women’s Bible study class in Glenwood Springs. She continued with the class until she lost her eyesight in the mid-1990s.
Survivors include her husband, Willard; a son, Vernard and his wife, Florence, of Goshen; two daughters, Elaine Kauffman and her husband, Dick, of Aurora, and Joelene Johnson and her husband, Doug, of Kamuela, Hawaii; a brother, Paul Enns of Cheraw; a sister, Leona Schulz of Hollister, Calif.; five grandsons; a granddaughter and a great-grandson.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Genelle Eileen, on Nov. 8, 1970; four brothers, Elvin Loren, Elmer, Dan and Karl; and two sisters, Ida Pearl Enns and Kathryn Bartel.
Memorial services were held at Farnum-Holt Funeral Chapel in Glenwood Springs and Peace Mennonite Community Church in Aurora. Burial was in Glenwood Springs.
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Ethel Blanche Posar, 77, died Feb. 19, 2004, at a nursing home in Oklahoma City, Okla. She had been in failing health for some time. She was born March 27, 1927, the youngest child of Joseph S. and Clara (Bitikofer) Loucks at Canton, Kan.
She grew up on the family farm south of Canton. She attended public schools in McPherson County, and graduated from Hesston Academy in 1948. After graduation she worked for some years at the Hesston Record, then owned and operated by Harold Sommerfeld.
As a young girl she accepted Christ and was baptized at Spring Valley Mennonite Church near Canton. She remained active in the church wherever she lived, and at the time of her death was a member of Northwest Free Will Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.
On March 24, 1957, she married James Posar Jr. at Hesston, Kan. He also worked at the Hesston Record for some time as a typesetter. Wherever they lived he was active in the printing business. They lived in Hesston for several years, later moving to Wichita, then to various areas near Oklahoma City, and spent some years in Houston, Texas, before moving to Oklahoma City for their latter years.
She was a homemaker and helpmeet to her husband, and was his primary caregiver during his final years.
Survivors include a son, Robert and his wife, Debbi, of Oklahoma City; a daughter, Veronica Worley and her husband, Keith, of Fayetteville, N.C.; a brother, Phares Loucks of Hesston; three sisters, Marjorie Knight of Albany, Ore., Vera Diener of Weatherford and Myrtle Stutzman of Hesston; and four granddaughters.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James, on Oct. 27, 1996; three brothers, Ernest, Vernon and Charlie Loucks; and two sisters, Mildred Benner and Erma Jantz.
A memorial service was held at Northwest Free Will Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.
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Zela Belle Shenk, 89, of Elida, Ohio, died Feb. 15, 2004, at the home of Robert and Cretora Hilty, with whom she resided. She was born Sept. 14, 1914, to Menno and Emma Brunk Shenk.
Early in life she accepted Christ as her Savior and was faithful until her death. She was a member of Pike Mennonite Church of Harrisonburg, Va. She was interested in missions and gave liberally to this.
In 1948 she began working at Mennonite Publishing House in Scottdale, Pa. Eighteen years later she moved to Harrisonburg, Va., where she worked for the Park View press and later at Christian Light Publications. She worked at Christian Light until age 85. She moved to Elida on May 14, 1999, to reside with the Hiltys.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Anna Laurel Shenk, in 1997.
Funeral services were held at Sharon Mennonite Church of Elida. Burial was at Pike Mennonite Cemetery of Elida.
Mennonite Weekly Review - March 15, 2004 - 82nd Year, No. 11, p. 8
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Victor Krehbiel, 79, of Pretty Prairie, Kan., died Feb. 15, 2004, at Hutchinson Hospital. He was born July 3, 1924, to David J. and Anna (Graber) Krehbiel in Reno County.
He graduated from Castleton High School in 1942, Bethel College in North Newton in 1951, and received his master’s degree from Wichita State University in 1960.
He was a school teacher and later a principal, starting in a two-room schoolhouse at Redstar of rural Pretty Prairie. He also taught at South Hutchinson, Buhler and retired as an elementary principal from Salina USD 305. He spent his summers during his teaching career and after retirement doing maintenance for USD 305.
He married Loretta R. Penner on Dec. 21, 1952, in Hillsboro.
He was a member of First Mennonite Church of Pretty Prairie. He was also a member of the State Teachers Association, National Educators Association, the Lions Club and the Gideons.
Survivors include his wife, Loretta; a son, Von Krehbiel of Kingman; two daughters, Vicki Brown of Kansas City, Mo., and Clarice Voth and her husband, Nelson, of Newton; three brothers, Ralph and Sam, both of Pretty Prairie, and Jesse of Sun City Center, Fla.; and four grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at First Mennonite Church of Pretty Prairie. Burial was in First Mennonite Church Cemetery.
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Leonard E. Wiens, 82, of Hesston, Kan., died March 1, 2004, at Schowalter Villa. He was born June 23, 1921, to Henry and Anna (Enns) Wiens at Inman.
He graduated from Inman High School in 1941. He was a member of Tabor Mennonite Church of rural Newton.
He married Florence “Flo” M. Wiens on Oct. 26, 1944, at Inman.
He was co-owner of Len and Flo’s Kitchen in Newton and was a retired farmer. He moved to Hesston from North Newton seven years ago.
Survivors include his wife, Florence; a son, Max Wiens of Tulsa, Okla.; two daughters, Karen Wiens of Palmer Lake, Colo., and Patty Wiens of Windom; two sisters, Rosella Regier of Newton and Mary Goosen of Beatrice, Neb.; four grandchildren; three step-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Nick, Simon and Adolf Wiens; and three sisters, Eva Wedel, Esther Juhnke and Anna Grace Hartenberger.
Memorial services were held at Tabor Mennonite Church of rural Newton.
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Ina Miller, 95, of Leo, Ind., and formerly of Midland, Mich., died Jan. 13, 2004, at “The Cedars” retirement center. She was born Dec. 18, 1908, to Abraham and Catherine (Baer) Miller in Topeka, Ind.
She married Menno E. Miller on Aug. 31, 1927, in Midland. He preceded her in death on Sept. 17, 1987.
She was a Midland resident since 1911. She was a charter member of Midland Mennonite Church and the WMSC. She is remembered by her family and friends as one who dearly loved her Lord and enjoyed a good sense of humor.
Survivors include a daughter, Norma Ropp and her husband, Morris, of Bemidje, Minn.; two sons, Roger R. and his wife, Sue, of Huntertown, Ind., and Arnold D. and his wife, Carol, of Farmington, N.M.; a sister, Louella Garrett of Ligonier, Ind.; 13 grandchildren; 47 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Menno; a daughter, Ruby A. Miller ; two sisters, Amanda Mast and Ida Hostetler; and five brothers, Perry, Earl, Martin, Dan and David Miller.
Funeral services were held at Smith-Miner Funeral Home in Midland. Burial was in Poseyville Cemetery.
There were no obits in the March 22, 2004 issue.
Mennonite Weekly Review - March 29, 2004 - 82nd Year, No. 13, p. 8
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Reuben S. Kauffman, 93, of Condon, Mont., died Feb. 16, 2004, in Missoula. He was born July 31, 1910, to N.L. “Roy” and Anna (Snyder) Kauffman in Wellman, Iowa. When he was 8 months old his family moved to Montana.
On Sept. 22, 1940, he married Sadie Miller in Bloomfield.
He served during World War II at two Civilian Public Service camps. In 1947 they moved to the Swan Valley, where they lived the rest of his life.
He was a rancher, logger, carpenter and school bus driver. He helped build many summer homes at area lakes, as well as Mountain View Mennonite Church, all a testament to his carpentry skills.
His favorite hobby was genealogy, and he spent many hours tracing his family tree back to Germany and Switzerland. He put time and effort into the Kauffman family reunion held biennially at Bitterroot Lake. He was an avid hunter and spent many years as camp cook for the hunting camps he helped set up in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. He enjoyed woodworking and made lamps, cedar chests, doors, cabinets, tables and other pieces.
He served many years on the SOS Hospital board and as president of the Swan Valley School PTA. He helped with child evangelism and summer Bible school.
He was a lifelong member of the Mennonite church. He taught Sunday school for many years in the Swan Valley. For more than 30 years, he and his wife traveled the 60 miles to Creston to attend Sunday school and worship services there.
Survivors include his wife, Sadie; five children, Gwen Kauffman and her husband, Paul, of Wolford, N.D., Lowell and his wife, Pauline, of Missoula, Nathan and his wife, Fern, of Condon, Myrene Iverson and her husband, Jerry, of Long Lake, Minn., and Carol and her husband, Dennis, of Lebanon, Pa.; six brothers, Paul, Aldine, Norman and Joseph, all of Kalispell, David of Whitefish and James of Marion; five sisters, Mary Slater of Homedale, Idaho, Berniece Reimer of Newton, Kan., Lillie Weber of Guernsey, Sask., Rosella Eby of Drake, Sask., and Gladys Reimer of Whitewater, Kan.; 19 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by an infant son, Jere; a brother, Sanford; and two sisters, Mabel Miller and Ruth Stutzman.
Services were held at Mountain View Mennonite Church of Creston. Burial was in the Creston Cemetery.