March 25, 1939 - July 8, 2025
Our dear mother and grandmother, Joyce Berdine Schneider Koehn,
was born on March 25, 1939, to Howard and Ruth (Haynes) Schneider near
Ithaca, Michigan. She quietly slipped away on July 8, 2025 at the Maple
View Retirement Community near Ithaca, Michigan.
Mom grew up on a farm in rural Gratiot County, with one brother and one
sister. She grew up in the depression years, and her memories of early
days were about hard work. She attended the Kellogg School, just a quarter
mile from where she grew up. In her teenage years, she had an accident of
being run over by a tractor, which resulted in much lifelong back pain.
Mom accepted Christ as her Savior and Friend and was baptized into the
Church of God in Christ, Mennonite when she was 12 years old. At the age
of 26, she had a reconsecration experience, and she never wavered from
that commitment.
Mom worked at Ithaca Roller Mills, Redman Trailer Company in Alma and then
later at Michigan Chemical Company and Pizza Sam’s. A highlight in her
life was a trip to the Holy Lands and Switzerland in the summer of 1961
with her Grandpa Schneider and Betty Seiler. On a trip out west in 1964,
she met our father, Pete Koehn, from Montezuma, KS. They were married in
an evening wedding on Easter Sunday, April 10, 1966. They spent two years
on the farm in Western Kansas before moving to Greeley, Colorado in 1968.
While in Greeley, she was employed in the computer department of a bank,
and Mom often talked about how at that time, a computer filled an entire
room. She and Dad loved the mountains and sunshine, but because of a
concern for the welfare of raising two boys in a city setting, they moved
to Ithaca, Michigan in 1976. They bought a farm on Pierce Road, which
became the home place.
One of the deepest heartaches of Mom’s life was the sudden passing of her
son, Andy, in July of 2013. Although her life was filled with heartache
and pain, God gave her a special grace to quietly endure.
Some of the moments that brought Mom and Dad special joy were the 4th of
July chicken BBQs – an annual tradition for 39 years – and Saturday night
pizza shared with the family. Her grandchildren were so very special to
her and she showed her love for them by making each of them a quilt. It
was very important to her that she finished the last one for the youngest
grandchild. She made many quilts in her later years and gave many of them
away. She loved her roses and flowers, and working in her garden brought
her joy and satisfaction. She helped Dad on the farm for many years until
they retired in 2017 for health reasons. Mom was such a hard worker her
whole life, and she stayed active and busy as long as her health allowed.
Mom and Dad moved off the farm in November of 2021 and joined the Maple
View Retirement Community. She appreciated the care she received and she
enjoyed the connections she made with her caregivers. A couple months
before Mom’s passing, she caught a vision of Dad standing on the other
side of the river, waving at her and saying “Come on, Joyce, come on!”
From that time on, Mom’s focus on earthly life changed and she longed to
join him. In the last hours before her passing, she talked to most of her
grandchildren and encouraged them to live for the Lord and meet her in
Heaven. We will miss her quick wit and humor and all the ways she helped
us.
Left behind are her children: daughter-in-law, Jackie Koehn, Garden View,
Kansas; son, Greg and Laura, Carson City, Michigan; daughter, Audrey and
Jeff Litwiller, Ithaca, Michigan; daughter, Nada and Mike Schrock, Moore,
Idaho; 15 grandchildren: Cheyenne (Morgan Bronson), Dillon (Renae), Tori,
Madison (Nathan Ziegler), Rockie (Laura), Zanna (Marty Redger), Amber
(Quinton Isaac), Layne, Lee, Brennen (Abigail), James, Caleb, Lanae, Jace,
and Drew; five great-grandchildren: Max, Skylar, Brett, Colton, and
Hayden; brother-in-law Dean Litwiller, Eden, Utah; Pete’s siblings: Henry
Koehn Jr., Montezuma, Kansas, David John and Janet Koehn, Dodge City,
Kansas, Betty Rose and Clayton Wiebe, Durham, Kansas; and many nieces,
nephews, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Pete; son, Andy; sister, Carolyn
Litwiller; brother, Larry Schneider; nephew, Brent Litwiller; and many
others.
Family will receive friends on Monday, July 14, 2025 from 2:00 PM – 4:00
PM in the chapel at Maple View Retirement Community, 4396 S. Luce Rd.,
Ithaca, MI 48847, and from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM at the Mt. Calm Mennonite
Church, 315 N. Gratiot St., Carson City, MI. Funeral Services will be held
on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at 10:30 AM at the Mt. Calm Mennonite Church,
with Ministers Darin Litwiller, James Leid, and Jeff Litwiller
officiating. Interment will take place immediately following the funeral
in the Mt. Calm Mennonite Cemetery.
Those desiring to make contributions in Joyce’s memory may do so by
donating to Maple View Retirement Community, 4396 S. Luce Road, Ithaca, MI
48847.
February 2, 1941 - January 25, 2023
My dear husband and our father, Pete M. Koehn, was born
on February 2, 1941, to Henry B. and Nettie E. (Unruh) Koehn near
Montezuma, Kansas. He slipped away ever so quietly on January 25, 2023,
just shy of his 82nd birthday, at the Maple View Retirement Community near
Ithaca, Michigan.
Dad grew up on a farm in southwest Kansas as the 7th in a family of nine
children. As a boy, he was a talented artist and loved to play basketball.
He accepted Christ as his Savior and was baptized into the Church of God
in Christ, Mennonite in January of 1954. At the age of 19, he
re-consecrated his life to the Lord and never wavered from that
commitment. He spent two years in 1-W service in Denver, Colorado, where
he acquired his love of the mountains. Dad often talked about his service
years and the good friendships and memories made during that time.
On April 10, 1966, Dad married our mother, Joyce Schneider. They lived on
their farm in Kansas for two years before moving to Greeley, Colorado, in
1968. He worked as a typewriter repairman and later for Kodak as a
mechanic. Dad loved his job, but because of a concern for the welfare of
raising his two boys in a city setting, they moved to Ithaca, Michigan, in
1976. He was able to fulfill his dream of becoming a farmer when they
purchased a farm on Pierce Road, which became the home place. As a way to
help make ends meet, Dad took up carpentry and earned the nickname “Picky
Pete” because of his meticulous craftsmanship.
One of the greatest sorrows in Dad’s life was the sudden passing of his
son Andy in July of 2013. He mourned him deeply and God graciously gave
him a vision of Andy and how happy Andy was. He claimed this and thanked
God for answering his prayers.
Some of the moments that brought Dad special joy were the 4th of July
chicken BBQs- an annual tradition for 39 years; Saturday night pizza
shared with family; and tinkering in his shop. Dad was a caring grandpa
and was very invested in his grandchildren’s lives. As an avid farmer, he
loved planting his fields and watching the crops grow. Mom helped Dad on
the farm for many years until he retired for health reasons in 2017.
Dad and Mom moved off the farm in November of 2021 and joined the Maple
View Retirement Community. They were always so thankful for the care they
received and the love they felt from the caregivers. One week prior to
Dad’s passing, God so graciously answered our prayers and gave Dad a
vision of Heaven and he shared it with everyone he could. Although he
couldn’t really describe the wonders he saw, he said it was beautiful and
he wanted to go there. From that moment on, Dad was completely at rest
emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. While our hearts ache
at his quiet and peaceful passing, we rejoice that his vision of Heaven
became reality. We will miss his gentle, soft- spoken demeanor and kind
heart that reached out to others.
Left behind is his wife of 56 years, Joyce; a daughter-in-law, Jackie
Koehn, Carson City, Michigan; one son, Greg and wife, Laura, Carson City,
Michigan; daughter, Audrey and husband, Jeff Litwiller, Ithaca, Michigan;
daughter, Nada and husband, Mike Schrock, Moore, Idaho; 15 grandchildren:
Cheyenne (Morgan Bronson), Dillon (Renae), Tori, Madison, Rockie (Laura),
Zanna, Amber (Quinton Isaac), Layne, Lee, Brennen, James, Caleb, Lanae,
Jace, Drew; three great-grandchildren: Max, Skylar, Brett; his siblings:
Henry Koehn, Jr., Montezuma, Kansas; David John Koehn and wife, Janet,
Dodge City, Kansas; Betty Rose and husband, Clayton Wiebe, Durham, Kansas;
Joyce’s sister Carolyn and husband, Dean Litwiller, Eden, Utah.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Andy; nephews, Brent
Litwiller and Bob Koehn; niece, Robin Wedel; two brothers, Robert Koehn
and Paul Dean Koehn; three sisters, Violet Schneider, Helen Smith, and Mae
Wedel; two sisters-in-law, Betty Mae Koehn and Corrine Koehn; and three
brothers-in-law, Earl Schneider, Errol Wedel, and Larry Schneider.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, January 29, 2023, at 10:30 A.M.
at the Mt. Calm Mennonite Church with Ministers James Leid, Doug
Schneider, and Keith Litwiller officiating. The family will receive
friends on Saturday from 2 P.M. to 4 P.M. at the Maple View Retirement
Community 4396 S. Luce Road, Ithaca, MI 48847 and from 6 P.M. to 8 P.M. at
the Mt. Calm Mennonite Church. Burial will take place at the Mt. Calm
Mennonite Cemetery.