The Mennonite - June 2009

"for the record" - Deaths:

The Mennonite, June 2, 2009, page 28, Vol. 12, No. 11.

Balzer.- Waldo Irvin, 98, Newton, Kan., died May 1. Spouse: Ruth Mosiman Balzer (deceased). Parents: Peter and Mary Schmidt Balzer. Children: Mike, Janet Franz, Larry; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild. Funeral: May 5 at Grace Hill Mennonite Church, Whitewater, Kan.

Flaming.- Helen Adeline Reimer Goerzen, 93, Reedley, Calif., died March 14. Spouse: Hinshaw "Hank" Flaming (deceased). Spouse: Jacob Goerzen (deceased). Parents: Abraham and Julia Reimer. Children: Bill Goerzen, Myrna Schneider, Walter Goerzen, Richard Goerzen; 11 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren. Funeral: March 23 at First Mennonite Church, Reedley.

Gable.- Lorene Smith, 80, Orrville, Ohio, died May 1 following a short illness. Spouse: Chester W. Gable. Parents: William and Layona McDorman Smith. Children: Gary W., Cathy Gable, Barb Steiner; three grandchildren. Funeral: May 7 at Orrville Mennonite Church.

Gerber.- Earl E., 88, Hastings, Neb., died April 20. Spouse: Helen A. Oswald Gerber. Parents: Joseph and Ida Yoder Gerber. Children; Susanne Smith, Pat Pauls, Carole Denlinger, Terry; nine grandchildren. Funeral: April 25 at Holechek Funeral Home, Chappel, Neb.

Groom.- Nelson Joe, Sr., 67, Linden, Tenn., died April 28. Spouse: Faith Strickland Groom. Parents; William F. and Olivia D. Groom. Children: Kelly G. Dumire, Sharon F. Groom, Nelson J., Jr.. Funeral: May 4 at Huntington Mennonite Church, Newport News, Va.

Hassan, William Richard "Dick,” 87, Goshen, Ind., died April 28. Spouse: Hazel Nice Hassan. Parents: Clair and Bertha Franz Hassan. Funeral: May 1 at College Mennonite Church, Goshen.

Helmuth.- Fern Zehr, 91, Arthur, Ill., died April 19. Spouse: Orva Helmuth.  Parents: Daniel and Katie Zehr. Children: Harold, Elizabeth Schulz, Maurice, Omar; 10 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren. Funeral: April 22 at Arthur Mennonite Church.

Housman.- J. Harold, 81, Lititz, Pa., died April 25 of Parkinson's disease. Spouse: Miriam Miller Housman. Parents; Ricardo L. and Anna Mae Stehman Housman. Children: John Pierre, Ina Sue Fox, Heidi Jean Oberholtzer. Funeral: April 29 at East Petersburg Mennonite Church, East Petersburg, Pa,

Keeler, Laverne M., 77, Souderton, Pa., died April 22. Parents: Henry and Florence Moyer Keeler. Funeral: April 26 at Souderton Mennonite Home.

Lyndaker, Warren Glenn, 75, Croghan, N.Y., died April 17 of cancer. Spouse: Nancy Yvonne Dennison Lyndaker. Parents: Reuben and Adah May Lehman Lyndaker. Children: Scott, Todd, Brett; six grandchildren. Funeral: April 20 at First Mennonite Church of New Bremen, Lowville, N.Y.

Moyer.- J. Edward, 94, Lansdale, Pa., died May 12. Spouse: Frances Apple Moyer (deceased). Parents: Theodore F. and Lucy Moyer. Child: Jay; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren. Funeral: May 16 at Dock Woods Community Chapel, Lansdale.

Moyer.- Mary Jane Ziegler, 72, Harleysville, Pa., died May 5. Spouse: Herbert Lee Moyer. Parents: Raymond H. and Sally Clemens Ziegler. Children: Beth Ann Wierwille, Eric Z., Clark Z., Dean Z., Todd Z.; six grandchildren; one great-grandchild. Funeral: May 8 at Salford Mennonite Church, Harleysville.

Norr, Carol M., 68, Berne, Ind. and Goshen, Ind., died May 12 of A.L.S. Parents: Merlin and Trella Liechty Norr. Funeral: May 16 at First Mennonite Church, Berne.

Olson.- David, 72, New Holland, Pa., died April 24 of a stroke. Spouse: Shelba Sandiford Olson. Parents: David and Miriam Garland Olson. Children: Bobbi Schenk, David, Jr., Kimberly Olson, Jason, Christopher, Richard Wong; nine grand-children. Funeral: May 9 Hershey Mennonite Church, Kinzers, Pa.

Oyer.- Pauline, 95, Goshen, Ind., died May 5. Parents: Edward and Ellen Smith Oyer. Funeral: June 13 at College Mennonite Church, Goshen.

Philipp.- Luise Janzen Lebedeff, 98, Reedley, Calif., died April 1. Spouse: Paul Philipp (deceased). Spouse: Victor Lebedeff (deceased). Parents: Henry and Susana Janzen. Step-children: Agnes, Walter, Bob, Calvin. Funeral: April 7 at Reedley Cemetery.

Schrag.- Paul J., 99, Marion, S.D., died April, 20. Spouse; Ada Gering Schrag (deceased). Parents: Rev. John J.A. and Katie Miller Schrag. Children: Mary Tecklenburg, Judy Rechnagel. Doug; seven grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren. Funeral: April 24 at Salem-Zion Mennonite Church, Freeman, S.D.

Stutzman.- Thelma F. Stutzman, 74, Beaver Crossing, Neb., died May 4. Spouse:
Richard Stutzman. Parents: Clarence and Ethel Jantzi Stutzman. Children: Gordon, Vickie Roth, Jeri Knapp; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren. Funeral: May 8 at Bellwood Mennonite Church, Milford, Neb.

Suzuki.- Henry I., 89, Lansdale, Pa., died April 24 of head injuries sustained in a fall. Spouse: Ryoko Kitamura Suzuki (deceased). Parents: Jusaburo and Nobu Itakura Suzuki. Children: Yumi, Lester; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild. Funeral: May 1 at Plains Mennonite Church, Hatfield, Pa.

Vanderveer.- Ruth Markley, 95, Leo, Ind., died April 30. Spouse: Merrill Vanderveer (deceased). Parents; William and Vera Burns Markley. Children: Marcia Neuhouser, Lowell, Loyal; eight grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren. Funeral: May 3 at North Leo Mennonite Church.

Transcribed by:  John Ingold
The Mennonite, June 16, 2009, page 28, Vol. 12, No. 12.

Bechtel.- Lowell, 90, Goshen, Ind., died May 15. Spouse: Sarah "Betty" Whirledge Bechtel (deceased). Parents: Ira and Rosa Rensberger. Children: Jane Troup, Thomas, Edward; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren. Funeral: May 18 at Eighth Street Mennonite Church, Goshen.

Bender.- Paul E., 83, Belleville, Pa., died May 13. Spouse: Leona Miller Bender. Parents: Lewis and Barbara Miller Bender. Children: Lois A. Arnold, John Paul, L. Roy, Titus W., Miriam D. Ferguson, Loren E., Kevin Ray; 14 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren. Funeral: May 18 at Maple Grove Mennonite Church, Belleville.

Burkholder.- Gertrude Evelyn Martin, 82, Waynesboro, Va., died May 22. Spouse: Merlin A. Burkholder. Parents: William H. and Florence Hershey Martin. Children: Eddie, Robert, Perry, Philip, Cindy Houff, Sara Showalter, Jay, Wendell M; 22 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren. Funeral: May 25 at Springdale Mennonite Church, Waynesboro.

Dyer.- Shirley Pankratz, 66, Henderson, Neb., died Jan. 1. Spouse: Jim Dyer. Parents: Oliver and Susie Friesen Pankratz. Children: Rick, Teri Walker, Tammie Maaske, Tricia Sander; 10 grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; four step-great-grandchildren. Funeral: Jan. 5 at Bethesda Mennonite Church, Henderson.

Enns.- Peter H., 81, Altona, Manitoba, died April 29. Spouse: Helen Enns. Parents: Abram S. and Helena Heinrichs Enns. Children: Myrla Friesen, Angela Friesen; seven grandchildren. Funeral: May 2 at Altona Bergthaler Mennonite Church, Manitoba.

Franz.- George F., 83, Henderson, Neb., died April 30. Spouse: Cleola Pankratz Franz. Parents: George G. and Marie Epp Franz. Children: Greg, Kathy Ripley; step-children: Verlene Garber, LaVerne Epp, Dr. Galen Epp; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren. Funeral: May 5 at Bethesda Mennonite Church, Henderson.

Friesen.- Marie Friesen, 95, Henderson, Neb., died April 11. Spouse: John T. Friesen (deceased). Parents: Gerhard E. and Katharina Huebert Friesen. Children: Rubena Hiebner, Myrna Johnson, Mary Claassen, Donald, Amanda Rempel, Melvin, LaVerne; 20 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren. Funeral: April 15 at Bethesda Mennonite Church, Henderson.

Klassen.- Selma Strausz, 94, Schowalter Villa, Hesston, Kan., died April 7. Spouse: Rudolph “R. A:” Klassen (deceased). Parents: Peter J. and Anna Flickner Strausz. Children: Donald, James, Vernell Miller, Cynthia Goerzen; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren. Funeral: April 10 at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church, Goessel.

King.- Dorothy M. Hartzler, 98, West Liberty, Ohio, died May 21 of complications from surgery. Spouse: Loren King (deceased). Parents: Joseph M. and Martha E. Zook Hartzler. Children: Beverly Stoltzfus, Linda Hostetler, Mary Boldman, David, Dwight, Alvin; 13 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren. Funeral: May 24 at Bethel Mennonite Church, West Liberty.

Martin.- Lucille Hattie Mitten, 85, Columbiana, Ohio, died April 30 of congestive heart failure complications. Spouse: Herbert L. Martin (deceased). Parents: Hebert and Amelia Feikert Mitten. Children: Judy Cutler, Loretta Ammons, Cindy Noling, Delores Rankin, Suzie Brady, Donald; 22 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren, Funeral: May 6 at Leetonia Mennonite Church, Leetonia, Ohio.

Martin*.- Ralph E., 88, Goshen, Ind., died April 10. Spouse: Ellen Rose Martin Mast. Parents: Elijah and Ella Good Mast. Children: Alice Jane Gesse, Linda Farmwald; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren. Funeral: April 14 at Hopewell Mennonite Church, Kouts, Ind.
*Name correction - should be Ralph E. Mast - see May 2009 or  LP 2009 M 

Miller.- Belle Ruthann, Cincinnati, Ohio, was stillborn on May 21. Parents: Joel Russell and Abbie Bauman Miller. Siblings: Eve Miller, Lillian Miller.

Miller.- Erma M. Miller, 102, Topeka, Ind., died May 27. Spouse: Ivan M. Miller (deceased). Parents: James Elmer and Ida Eash Miller. Children: Carol Zehr, Evelyn Byler, Gaylord, Maurice, Larry, Delmar, Ronald; 19 grandchildren; 32 great-grand-children; three great-great-grandchildren. Funeral: May 30 at Emma Mennonite Church, Topeka.

Mosimann.- Ella Barbara, 99, Chesterfield, Mo., died Feb. 26. Parents: Andrew and Barbara Rocke Mosimann. Funeral: May 16 at Prairieview Mennonite Church, Flanagan, Ill.

Peters.- Bertha Regier, 83, Henderson, Neb., died April 18. Spouse: Carl D. Peters. Parents: John A. and Nettie Siemens Regier. Children: Joe, Linda Heisey; three grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren. Funeral: April 25 at Bethesda Mennonite Church, Henderson.

Sommers.- Wesley W., 84, Bluffton, Ohio, died May 21. Spouse: Betty Edinger Sommers. Children: Bruce N., John, Philip, Kevin L., Mark; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren. Funeral: May 23 at Chiles and Sons Laman Funeral Home, Bluffton.

Stauffer.- Melvin P., 74, Mendon, Mich., died May 23 of a heart attack. Spouse: Clara Jean Yoder Stauffer. Parents: Peter and Amanda Stoltzfus Stauffer. Children: Ernie, Carol Kotva; four grandchildren. Funeral: May 28 at Calvary Chapel, Sturgis, Mich.

Zehr.- Agnes L. Zehr, 101, Hopedale, Ill., died May 25. Spouse: Albert H. Zehr. Parents: Amos and Pearl Zehr. Children: Loretta Simmons, Marcella Zehr; three grandchildren. Funeral: May 28 at Hopedale Mennonite Church.

Ziegler.- Mae C., 97, Sarasota, Fla., died May 22 of complications from a broken hip. Funeral: May 27 at Toale Brothers Chapel, Sarasota.

Transcribed by:  John Ingold

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