Mennonite Weekly Review - November 2009
Buller,
Peter W.; Classen,
Edward R.C.; Diener,
Esther M.
Swartzendruber; Habegger, Loris;
Jerman, Pearleen M.;
Kaufman, Margaret A. Shetler;
Troyer,
Byron Nortell;
Mennonite
Weekly Review - November 2, 2009 - 87th Year, No. 41 - p. 13
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Troyer, Byron Nortell
Byron Nortell Troyer, 91, of
Kokomo, Ind., died Oct. 18, 2009. He was born July 8, 1918, to George
Delton Troyer and Katherine Sommers Troyer in Amboy.
While still too young for school, his parents relocated to Dhamtari,
India, in the south-central region of India. There he received his
early education at Mount Hermon Boarding School. His secondary
education was accomplished at Goshen College, where he studied to be a
teacher. In addition he went to optical school in Chicago Optical,
graduating in 1944, and continued his passion for the mission field. He
met and married Helen Wilson, who died shortly after childbirth. While
in optical school he also worked for the Mennonite Home Mission, where
he met and later married Elda Kauffman in 1948.
He and Elda followed Dr. George D. Troyer to Puerto Rico to do both
medical and mission work sponsored by Mennonite Board of Missions and
Charities. He, his father and the other missionaries were successful in
founding a church, Iglesia Evangelical Menonita, in 1959. After 15
years in Puerto Rico, in 1959 the family returned to the U.S., settling
in Indianapolis, so the three children could continue their education.
He was saved at an early age in India. He was a member of Koinonia
Mennonite Church and had been active as an elder in the past.
Survivors include three children, George, Elizabeth and Steven.
He was preceded in death by his sister Annabelle; his first wife,
Helen; his second wife, Elda; and his daughter Karen.
Services were held at Parkview Mennonite Church in Kokomo. Burial
was in Mast Cemetery, where he was laid to rest beside his beloved
wife, Elda, and where many generations of Troyers and extended family
have been interred.
Mennonite Weekly Review - November 9, 2009 - 87th Year, No. 42 - p. 9
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Habegger, Loris
Loris Habegger, 91, of Moundridge, Kan., died Sept. 30, 2009. He
was born Jan. 9, 1918, to Arman and Hilegunda Sprunger Habegger in
rural Berne, Ind.
He graduated from Monroe High School in 1935. He was an active member
of First Mennonite Church of Berne. He entered Civilian Public Service
in 1941, serving first with Indiana Fish and Game and then at Marlboro
(N.J.) State Hospital. While serving in Marlboro he met Evelyn Regier,
and they were married on Aug. 9, 1945.
After CPS, he and Evelyn moved to North Newton in 1945, where he
completed his undergraduate degree at Bethel College. He served as
pastor of First Mennonite Church, Halstead, 1947 to 1954; pastor of
Wayland (Iowa) Mennonite Church, 1954-60; associate in development at
Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind., 1960-68; pastor
of Grace Mennonite Church, Pandora, Ohio, 1968-72; General Conference
Mennonite Church general editor in Newton, 1972-77; associate pastor at
Eden Mennonite Church, Moundridge, 1977-82; and pastor of Zion
Mennonite Church, Elbing, 1982-87. He also served interim pastorates at
Trinity Mennonite Church, Hillsboro, and Goessel Mennonite Church. He
participated in church and civic organizations, taught school in
Halstead and Wayland, and pursued photography.
In retirement years he continued to be involved in Bethel College
Mennonite Church. He was active in the Area Council on Aging, Northview
Opportunity Center, Offender Victim Ministries, Lions Club and Meals on
Wheels. He and Evelyn enjoyed trips to visit children and grandchildren
and traveled to Switzerland and the Caribbean. They moved to Moundridge
Memorial Home in early 2004.
Survivors include his sister, Helen Habegger of Berne, Ind.; his
children, Arman and Sue Habegger, Pandora, Ohio, Bob and Lorna Harder,
Hesston, and Richard and Carol Habegger, Winston-Salem, N.C.; five
grandchildren and three great-granddaughters. He was preceded in death
by his wife.
Memorial services were held at Bethel College Mennonite Church.
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Buller, Peter W.
Peter W. Buller, 84, of
Elkhart, Ind., died Aug. 28, 2009. He was born Dec. 19, 1924, to Anna
and Peter Buller in Chinook, Mont.
When the dust bowl hit, the family moved to Mountain Lake, Minn., where
he lived through high school. He attended and graduated from Goshen
College, New York Biblical Seminary, and from Princeton Theological
Seminary with a masters of divinity degree.
He married Gladys Klassen on June 28, 1949.
Together they served as missionaries in the Congo under Africa
Inter-Mennonite Mission from 1951 to 1987. There he started Christian
high schools and engaged in evangelistic efforts in the interior of
Congo. After his graduation from Princeton, he taught in the Pastors
School of Theology in Congo from 1966 to 1987.
After his retirement in 1987, he pastored several churches, including
the International Protestant Church of Kinshasa, Congo, Berkey Avenue
Mennonite Church of Goshen and Olive Mennonite Church of Elkhart. His
life was dedicated to building the church of Jesus Christ though
sharing the Word of God through evangelism, preaching and teaching and
through training pastors and church leaders. He was a member of
Silverwood Mennonite Church.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Gladys; three children (all
born in Congo), James P. Buller and his wife, Patty, and Charles P.
Buller and his wife, Tracy, all of Goshen, and Jeannette Slater and her
husband, Nathan, of Phoenix, Ariz.; and five grandchildren.
Funeral services were at Silverwood Mennonite Church.
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Diener, Esther M. Swartzendruber
Esther M. Diener, 86, of
Archbold, Ohio, died Oct. 17, 2009, at the University of Toledo Medical
Center. She was born Oct. 9, 1923, to Laban and Nanna (Bender)
Swartzentruber in Altoona, Pa.
She married Edward Diener on May 7, 1944.
She lived at Clarence, N.Y., Hartville and Pettisville before moving to
Archbold in 1998. Prior to her marriage, she was involved as a
professional educator in five school systems at Haven, Kan., and
Greenwood, Del. After marriage she taught at Alden (N.Y.) Christian
School, 1953-56; Clarence (N.Y.) Public School, 1958-65; and Hartville
Christian School, 1965-68. During most of her teaching years she taught
classes in music and directed children and youth choirs. She also
taught some classes in business education.
Her husband served as a pastor at Clarence Center, N.Y., Hartville and
Pettisville. At each of these congregations she was active in Christian
education of children and directed children and adult choirs. From 1973
to 1999 she was manager of Das Essen Haus Restaurant at Pettisville.
This was followed by nine years as hostess of Diener’s Guest House. She
also served as a board member of Four County Career Center in Archbold
for the last 20 years. She was a member of West Clinton Mennonite
Church in Wauseon.
Survivors include her husband of 65 years, Edward; three children,
Larry Diener and his wife, Doris, of Sarasota, Fla., David Diener and
his wife, Carol, of Fort Collins, Colo., and Diane Omondi and her
husband, Ibrahim, of Nairobi, Kenya; a brother, Clayton Swartzentruber
of Harleysville, Pa.; a sister, Dorcas Miller of Greenwood, Del.; nine
grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two step-grandsons and three
step-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Margaret Diener; and four
sisters, Mirian Hostetler, Dorthy Steckly, Rachel Schlabach and Vida
Huber.
Memorial services were held at West Clinton Mennonite Church. Burial
was in the Pettisville Cemetery.
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There were no obituaries in the
November 16 issue of MWR.
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Mennonite Weekly Review - November 23, 2009 - 87th Year, No. 44 - p. 9
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Kaufman, Margaret
A. Shetler
Margaret Amelia Shetler Kaufman,
100, of Davidsville, Pa., died Oct. 18, 2009, at Windber Hospice of a
subarachnoid hemorrhage sustained in a fall. She was born June 10,
1909, to Samuel G. and Maggie (Kaufman) Shetler in Hollsopple. She was
the last surviving child of S.G. Shetler, a well-known teacher,
preacher and evangelist in the Mennonite Church.
She married Calvin E. Kaufman, who preceded her in death in 1975.
She was a member of Carpenter Park Mennonite Church, where she and her
husband were instrumental in changing the mission status into a church
in Allegheny Conference.
Survivors include five children, Melvin Kaufman and his wife, Lois, of
Goshen, Ind., Lorene Saylor of Hollsopple, Marvin Kaufman and his wife,
Ruth, of Broadway, Va., Gerald Kaufman and his wife, Marlene, of Akron,
and Rhonda Blough and her husband, Melvin, of Johnstown; a
sister-in-law, Dorothy Shetler; 15 grandchildren; 38 greatgrandchildren
and seven great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Calvin; three sisters, Luella
Miller, Rosella Bachman and Goldie Sala; a brother, Sanford G. Shetler;
infant twin siblings, Ralph and Rena; a son-in-law, Merle Saylor, and a
grandson, Lynn Douglas Kaufman.
Funeral services were held at Carpenter Park Mennonite Church.
Burial was in the Stahl Mennonite Cemetery.
-----------------
Classen, Edward
R.C.
Edward R. C. Classen, 87, of
Hesston, Kan., died Nov. 13, 2009, at Schowalter Villa. He was born
March 8, 1922, to Peter L. and Sarah Reimer Classen at Meade.
He had worked as a truck driver with King Construction Co. for more
than 30 years. He was a member of Koerner Heights Mennonite Brethren
Church of Newton and had volunteered at Victory in the Valley in
Wichita for many years.
On July 30, 1944, he married Sara Reimer. She preceded him in death on
April 2, 2006.
Survivors include three children, Regina Yoder of Newton, Marjorie
Sommerfeld and her husband, Lyle, of Andover, and Dale Classen and his
wife, Anita, of Salem, Ore.; two brothers, Levi Classen and Clarence
Classen; five sisters, Agnes Schertz, Dora Ehmann, Alvera Thiessen,
Linda Goossen and Evelyn Fisher; 12 grandchildren and 10
greatgrandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Sara; a stepmother, Katherine
(Isaac) Classen; four brothers, Henry Classen, Peter Classen, Harold
Classen and Jake Classen; and one sister, Elizabeth Loewen.
Memorial Services were held at Schowalter Villa Chapel in Hesston.
A private family graveside service was held in Hesston Cemetery.
Mennonite Weekly Review - November 30, 2009 - 87th Year, No. 45 - p. 9
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Jerman, Pearleen M.
Pearleen M. Jerman, 82, of
Beatrice, Neb., died Nov. 12, 2009. She was born Sept. 13, 1927, to
George and Esther Geisler Jerman in Beatrice.
She was a graduate of Beatrice High School in 1947. She worked at the
Beatrice State Developmental Center in the laundry department for 22
years, retiring in December 1991. She was a member of Beatrice
Mennonite Church, where she had been a member of the church choir. She
enjoyed sewing, music and her cats and was an avid Husker fan.
Survivors include a sister, Virginia Jerman of Beatrice; and a niece,
Judy Gerntholz and her husband, Gregory, of Sanborn, N.D.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Arthur and Lawrence Jerman;
three sisters, Marjorie Jerman, Catherine Remmers and Muriel
Koebernick; and two brothers-in-law, Thomas Remmers and Melvin
Koebernick.
Funeral services were held at Beatrice Mennonite Church. Burial was in
Pleasantview Cemetery of rural Pickrell.
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