Mennonite Weekly Review - April 13, 2009 -
87th Year, No. 15 - p. 17
Blosser, Mary Ann Pankratz
Mary Ann Blosser, 91, died March 30, 2009, at Kidron Bethel Healthcare in North Newton, Kan. She was born Nov. 8, 1917, to Gerhard G. and Anna (Frey) Pankratz in Goessel.
On June 23, 1946,
she married J. Richard Blosser in Newton.
He served 32
years as assistant editor and associate editor of Mennonite Weekly
Review. He
preceded her in death on Dec. 24, 1998.
She graduated from
Bethel College
in North Newton with a degree in home economics. She taught for 24 and
a half
years in the Kansas school system, home economics at the high school
level and
English, reading and spelling in the seventh and eighth grades. She did
office
work while attending college and for three years after retiring from
teaching.
She was an active
member of Bethel
College Mennonite Church of North Newton. She enjoyed reading, sewing
and
quilting. She delighted in having her family together, especially for
birthdays
and holidays.
Survivors include
two daughters,
Carol Temple and her husband, Larry, of McPherson, and Debra Penner and
her
husband, Lee, of Newton; a daughter-in-law, Sarita Blosser of Goessel;
and five
grandchildren.
She was preceded in
death by her
husband, J. Richard Blosser; a son, Don Blosser; three sisters, Amanda
Schrag,
Linda Pankratz and Eva (Epp) Unruh; and three brothers, Ted Pankratz,
Gus
Pankratz and Peter Pankratz.
Services were held
at Bethel College Mennonite Church.
Burial was in
Greenwood Cemetery of Newton.
Galle, Lorraine
Lorraine Galle, 81, died April 6,
2009, at Bethesda Home in Goessel, Kan. She was born May 8, 1927, in
Valley
Center to Oswin K. and Sara (Schmidt) Galle.
She graduated from
Valley Center
High School in 1945, Bethel College in 1950 and Kansas State University
with a
master’s degree in 1955. She served as dean of women at Bethel from
1955
to 1961. She then graduated from
Washington University in St. Louis
with
a master’s degree in psychiatric
social
work. She worked at the Topeka State Hospital prior to her accepting a
position
with Halstead Hospital, where she worked from 1968 until her retirement
in
1994.
She was a member of
Lorraine
Avenue Mennonite Church in Wichita, where she regularly participated in
church
life.
Shortly after her
retirement she
was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. She maintained her independence
and
involvement in activities as long as her body would allow. She and her
sister
Lillian moved in together so Lillian could help with her physical
needs. She
enjoyed spending time with her loving family and many friends.
Survivors include
two brothers,
Karmie Galle of Lawrence and Omer Galle of Liberty Hills, Texas; three
sisters,
Lillian Galle of North Newton, Darlene Wynn of Council Bluffs, Iowa,
and
Kathryn Vogt of Wichita; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in
death by a
sister, Marianna Ruth Hall.
Services and burial
took place at
Hillside Cemetery in Sedgwick.
Froese, Clarence E.
Clarence E. Froese, 96, of Inman,
Kan., died March 30, 2009, at Pleasant View Home in Inman. He was born
Jan. 9,
1913, to Cornelius J. and Sarah (Schmidt) Froese in Inman.
He married Bertha
Ann Neufeld on
Sept. 5, 1937, at Inman. She preceded
him in death on Aug. 14, 1999.
He graduated from
Inman High
School. He was a member of Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church, rural Inman,
and a
former member of Inman Mennonite Church, where he served as a deacon.
He was a
dairy farmer and also worked for Hesston Corp. He loved God, his family
and the
land that he was a steward of.
Survivors include
four daughters,
Donna Reimer and her husband, John, of Inman, Sarah Friesenhahn of
McKinney,
Texas, Clareen Beth Wenzel and her husband, Wayne, of Hutchinson, and
Cheryl
Flaming of Hesston; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and
numerous
step-grandchildren.
He was preceded in
death by his
wife, Bertha; a brother, Earl Froese; and a sister, Edna Hildebrand.
Memorial services
were held at
Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church of rural Inman. Graveside services were
held at
the North Inman Cemetery.
Boshart, Walter Lorain
Walter Lorain Boshart, 96, of
Goshen, Ind., died Feb. 27, 2009, at Greencroft Healthcare. He was born
May 30,
1912, to Amos and Abbie (Scott) Boshart in Wayland, Iowa.
He married Beverly
Miller in 1999.
He was a longtime
member of Eighth
Street Mennonite Church and held offices in the national and state
Piano
Technician’s Guild. Known as the “piano’s friend,” he tuned pianos for
many
local patrons. He was the piano technician for many local school
districts,
including Concord, South Bend, Elkhart and Middlebury. He was also the
piano
technician for Morris Civic Auditorium in South Bend and many of their
famous
guest artists.
Survivors include
his wife,
Beverly; a daughter, Jean Stucky and her husband, William, of Goshen;
two sons,
James Boshart and his wife, Betty Jo Bechtel, of Atoka, Tenn., and
Richard
Boshart and his wife, Cathy Bauman, of Lebanon, Pa.; a stepson, Lane
Lewallen
of Wheatland; and a brother, Edwin Boshart of Shaumburg, Ill.
He was preceded in
death by his
first wife, Marietta Storer; his second wife, Ferne Weller; a sister,
Constance
Wainwright; and two brothers, Maurice and Robert Boshart.
Memorial services
were held at
Yoder-Culp Funeral Home. A private burial preceded the service in
Forrest Grove
Cemetery in Middlebury.
Mennonite Weekly Review - April 20, 2009 -
87th Year, No. 16 - p. 9
Richard, Eunice M. Amstutz
Eunice Marie (Amstutz) Richard,
82, of Sterling, Ohio, died March 24, 2009. She born Dec. 30, 1926, on
a farm
near Dalton, to Elmer J. and Etta M. (Steiner) Amstutz.
She accepted the
Lord as her
Savior and joined Martins Mennonite Church of Orrville in 1938.
After graduating
from Dalton High
School in 1945, she worked at Dalton Pottery and Sonnenberg Insurance
Co. She
attended Goshen (Ind.) College in 1947-1948. In 1948 she did summer
voluntary
service at Cleveland State Hospital. She spent September 1948 through
February
1949 in Skillman, N.J., working under Mennonite Central Committee with
epileptic children. She returned to Dalton and worked at Bergs IGA.
On March 26, 1951,
she married
Elmer Richard at Martins Mennonite Church. They lived on a farm near
Sterling
and raised four children. She was a full-time homemaker and worked hard
on the
family farm. She was a member of Pleasant Hill Mennonite Church of
Sterling
until it closed in 1973, and was a chorister for many years. She then
joined
Crown Hill Mennonite Church of Rittman. She edited the church
newsletter for 12
years and was an active member of the Gideons Auxiliary.
In 1994 she was
diagnosed with
breast cancer, which she was able to defeat several times. In 2007 it
was
discovered that the cancer had metastasized to her bones. Through it
all, she
kept her deep faith in God and strong love for her family.
She is survived by
her husband,
Elmer; four children, Phil and his wife, Sandra, of Hesston, Kan.,
Sidney and
his wife, Sandra, of Goshen, Kristina and her husband, Steve Gerber, of
Creston, Ohio, and Kent and his wife, Rita, of Talmage, Pa.; seven
grandchildren; and a brother, Arlin, of Orrville.
She was preceded in
death by
brothers Arthur and Cletus and an infant brother and sister, Clarence
and Mary
Ellen.
The memorial
service and burial
were held at Crown Hill Mennonite Church.
Yoder, Luke D.
Pastor Luke D. Yoder, 79, of
Pigeon, Mich., died April 4, 2009, at Country Gardens in Pigeon, after
a
six-month illness with ALS.
He was born Nov.
24, 1929, in
Greenwood, Del., to David S. and Savilla (Bender) Yoder.
He married Cora Mae
Maust on Dec.
28, 1949, in Pigeon.
He served as
minister and overseer
of Pigeon River Mennonite Church for more than 40 years. He was as a
board
member for Rosedale Mennonite Missions, Conservative Mennonite
Conference,
Eastern Mennonite University and the Mennonite Church.
He earned his
living as a farmer,
owning and operating Yoder Farms on South Bay Port Road. He believed in
the
importance of family, church, generosity and grace.
Surviving are his
wife, Cora Mae;
three sons, Merlin and his wife, Patricia, Darrel and his wife,
Lynette, and
Dale and his wife, Phyllis, all of Bay Port; a daughter, Gloria Diener
and her
husband, Eugene, of Harrisonburg, Va.; 11 grandchildren; five brothers,
David
S. Yoder Jr. of Goshen, Ind., Amos W. Yoder of Lititz, Pa., Paul T.
Yoder of
Harrisonburg, Daniel V. Yoder and Jesse Yoder of Dover, Del.; and two
sisters,
Naomi Yoder of Blountstown, Fla., and Miriam Hull of Wytheville, Va.
He was preceded in
death by a
granddaughter, Katie L. Yoder; a sister, Ruth Y. Bontrager; and two
brothers,
his twin, Mark B. Yoder, and John J. Yoder.
The funeral service
was held at
Pigeon River Mennonite Church. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Kiser, Orvin H., Sr.
Orvin Herman Kiser Sr., younger
brother of Roy Kiser, who founded Waynesboro (Va.) Mennonite Church,
died March
30, 2009, after a courageous battle with mesothelioma. He was born May
17,
1932, in Stuarts Draft, to Marvin Turner Kiser and Edna Campbell Kiser.
He was a founding
member of
Waynesboro Mennonite Church and had served in many capacities,
including head
teacher of the Open Door Sunday School Class. He enjoyed widespread
recognition
for his contributions to community service projects, including starting
little
league football in Stuarts Draft. He served as president of the Stuarts
Draft
Ruritan Club and was active in the Booster Club and Sportsman Club. For
eight
years he served on the Augusta County Board of Supervisors, which he
chaired in
2001. A builder and businessman with many interests, he was a constant
supporter of Christian and civic organizations.
The devotion he
enjoyed from
community and church friends was demonstrated by an overflow crowd of
visitors
who attended his memorial service at Waynesboro Mennonite Church on
April 4.
Surviving are his
wife, Phyllis;
two sons, Orvan H. Kiser Jr. and Ronald E. Kiser; a daughter, Teri,
Fust; and
nine grandchildren.
Kliewer, Leon R.
Leon R. Kliewer of Buhler, Kan.,
died April 11, 2009. He was born May 1, 1945, in York, Neb., to
Cornelius C.
and Marie Dick Kliewer.
He accepted Christ
as his personal
Savior and was baptized and became a member of Bethesda Mennonite
Church,
Henderson, Neb., on June 10, 1962.
After graduating
from Bethel
College in North Newton, Kan., he married Mary Mierau on June 10, 1967,
at
Bethesda Mennonite Church. He served two years in alternative service
at
Methodist Youthville in Newton.
He entered the
banking field,
serving as a loan officer at the Bank of Whitewater, Kan., and Midland
National
Bank of Newton. After nine years of banking, the opportunity to own a
bank
insurance and real estate agency became available in Buhler. He
purchased the
agency and renamed it Buhler Agency, which prospered and grew for more
than 30
years.
He served in the
churches where he
lived as a Sunday school teacher, treasurer and on various committees
and
boards, including the Bethel College Alumni Association and Western
District
Conference board of trustees. He was active in the Buhler Chamber of
Commerce,
Buhler fall festival committee and Buhler centennial committee.
His greatest joy
was being married
to Mary and raising three sons. He considered it a privilege and
responsibility
to support them in displaying their God-given talents, particularly in
music.
He is survived by
his wife, Mary;
three sons, David L. DeHoogh-Kliewer and his wife, Michelle, of Sioux
Falls,
S.D., Christopher C. Kliewer and his wife, Cara, of Wichita, and
Benjamin L.
Kliewer of Wichita; and four grandchildren.
Services were held
at First
Mennonite Church of Newton. Burial was at Buhler East Cemetery.
Mennonite Weekly Review - April 27,
2009 - 87th Year, No. 17 - p. 9
Peters, Bertha Rose Regier
Bertha Rose Peters, 83, of
Henderson, Neb., died April 18, 2009, at Aurora. She was born Aug. 13,
1925, in
York County, to John A. and Nettie (Siemens) Regier.
She married Carl D.
Peters on Feb.
21, 1946, at Henderson.
She worked for 30
years at the
Henderson Hospital as a cook and CNA. She was an active member of
Bethesda
Mennonite Church in Henderson, where she belonged to Mission Circle I
and had
previously served as Sunday school superintendent and Bible school
teacher. She
was also a member of Friendship Circle Club.
She always welcomed
friends and
family to her home and especially enjoyed spending time with her
grandchildren
and great-grandchildren. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother,
great-grandmother and friend and will be missed by everyone she leaves
behind.
Survivors include
her husband,
Carl, of Henderson; a son, Joe Peters and his wife, Lillian, of North
Newton,
Kan.; a daughter, Linda Heisey and her husband, Daryl, of Rexville,
N.Y.; a
sister, Pansy Janzen of Henderson; a sister-in-law, Martha Hiebner of
Henderson; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two
step-grandchildren
and two step-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in
death by an
infant brother, Lester; a brother, James Regier and his wife, Evelyn; a
sister,
Irene Friesen and her husband, Arnold; and brothers-in-law Frank Janzen
and
Irvin Hiebner.
Graveside services were scheduled
for Bethesda Cemetery in Henderson. Memorial services were scheduled
for
Bethesda Mennonite Church in Henderson.