Mennonite Weekly Review - August 2, 2004 - 82nd Year, No. 31, p. 8
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Arlene Doris Rempel, 71, of Henderson, Neb., died June 28, 2004, after a two-year struggle with cancer. She was born Aug. 15, 1932, to Peter O. and Helen Bergen Friesen on a farm southwest of Aurora.
She graduated from Henderson High School in 1950.
She was baptized and accepted into the fellowship of Bethesda Mennonite Church in Henderson in 1950. She enjoyed participating in Mission Circle, serving on the social committee and teaching Sunday school. She and her husband were youth leaders and served on the MCC canner committee. She had a strong faith in the Lord.
She married her high school sweetheart, Walter Rempel, on Aug. 31, 1950. They settled on a farm south of Aurora. She loved cooking and baking. She was a great hostess. Her hobbies were gardening, sewing, embroidering, crocheting and scrapbooking. She and Walt enjoyed trips with their motor home and put many miles on their Harley Davidson motorcycle.
After their farm sale in 1986, they went to Siloam Springs, Ark., where they were custodians at Day Spring Greeting Cards for a year. They returned to the farm again in 1987. She began working as a certified nurse aid in LongTerm Care and at Hamilton Manor in Aurora. When they moved to Henderson in 1991, she worked at Henderson Nursing Home until June 2002. Her generosity and servant-heart touched many lives.
Survivors include her husband, Walt; five children, Joyce Friesen and her husband, Ron, of Aurora, Carol Janzen and her husband, Royce, of Henderson, LaVerne and his wife, Lynda, of Aurora, Connie Friesen and her husband, Melvin, of Aurora, and Lynette Jost and her husband, Rod, of Hillsboro, Kan.; a brother, LeRoy V. Friesen of Henderson; a sister, Kathleen Unruh of Wichita, Kan.; 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were an infant brother, Allen Dean; and a son-in-law, Calvin Epp.
Memorial services were held at Bethesda Mennonite Church.
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Dorothy Nice Blosser, 72, of Harrisonburg, Va., died June 19, 2004, after a yearlong journey with cancer. She was born Feb. 17, 1932, to Lulu and Henry Nice in Newport News.
She actively chose to invest her life in others' lives. She found joy in serving the church along with her husband, Pastor Glendon L. Blosser, whom she married May 14, 1951. She used her creative mind and strong faith to teach Sunday school and Bible school, mentor youth and speak at church retreats. She was an active member of Weavers Mennonite Church and a graduate of Eastern Mennonite High School.
She was known as "Mom Blosser" to many youth who came to her house for meals and warm beds; she was known as "Sister Dorothy" to church members in Trinidad, where she and Glendon spent a year in missionary service and visited on numerous occasions.
Her children and grandchildren knew her to be a wise and intelligent woman whose open spirit invited them to share their lives and dreams with her. She taught them skills in completing school projects, gardening, sewing, housekeeping and building meaningful lives.
Survivors include her husband, Glendon; four children: Floyd and his wife, Janet, of Harrisonburg, Diane Burkholder and her husband, Ruel, of Linville, Phil and his wife, Donna, of Blooming Glen, Pa., and Myron and his wife, Rhonda, of Harrisonburg; twin brother Daniel Nice of Williamsburg; three sisters, Lu Heatwole of Penn Laird, Ruby Ziegler of Newport News and Bertha Schaefer of Powhatan; two other brothers, Lewis Nice of Providence Forge and George Nice of Williamsburg; and 14 grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by brothers Henry and Cecil Nice of Newport News.
After a private burial, a memorial service was held at Weavers Mennonite Church.
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Homer Everett Waltner, 84, of Freeman, S.D., died June 29, 2004. He was born Nov. 3, 1919, to Edward J.B. and Anna L. Tschetter Waltner in Turner County.
He graduated from Freeman Academy in 1938.
He was baptized upon confession of faith on Aug. 12, 1934, and became a member of Salem Mennonite Church, where he remained a faithful member until his death.
On Aug. 11, 1952, he married Martha Fast at Goessel (Kan.) Mennonite Church.
He worked for his uncle Henry and area farmers and then was a truck driver for the Freeman Creamery (now AMPI) for 10 years before he turned to farming.
His winter diversion in the 1960s was playing checkers in Freeman as well as in the state tournament. In summer it was umpiring softball games. He was a registered umpire with the S.D. Amateur Softball Association and umpired at the state softball tournament in the '60s.
He served his church as a trustee and as a member of the parsonage building committee, MCC meat canning and MDS committees.
He always found time for hunting and fishing. He was a member of Turkey Ridge Sportsman's Club and past president of South Eastern South Dakota Wildlife Club.
He was a member of the Freeman Rural Fire Association board of directors for many years. He enjoyed classical music and enjoyed singing in the Messiah when it was performed annually by the Swiss Choral Society.
Survivors include his wife, Martha; a son, Everett, and his wife, Margie; a daughter, Geraldine Butkus and her husband, John; a sister, Belva Unruh; two brothers, LaVerne and Don Waltner; and seven grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his youngest son, Isaac; and sister-in-law Selma Schmidt.
Funeral services were held at Salem Mennonite Church. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Mennonite Weekly Review - August 9, 2004 - 82nd Year, No. 32, p. 12
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Elmer Voth, 94, of North Newton, Kan., died July 21, 2004, at Kidron Bethel Retirement Home. He was born Dec. 26, 1909, to Cornelius H. and Lizzie Sperling Voth in Hamilton County.
He graduated from Moundridge High School. He had been a farmer and carpenter in rural Inman, moving to North Newton in 1972.
On Aug. 16, 1936, he married Linda Annie Ediger in rural Inman. She died Nov. 4, 1997.
He was a member of Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church, where he was baptized, and he served as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and as a song leader. In later life he attended Bethel College Mennonite Church of North Newton.
Throughout his life, he designed and crafted gifts of wood for special occasions for his family until the last few months of his life. He crafted furniture for churches, Bethel College and Kidron Bethel.
Survivors include two sons, Eugene and his wife, LaDonna, of Newton, and Stanley E. and his wife, Donna, of Topeka; a daughter, Elizabeth Friesen and her husband, Duane, of North Newton; a sister, Eleanor Ediger of Inman; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Rosalie Voth Schmidt; two brothers, Milton and Irvin; a sister, Verna Buller; and a great-grandson, Matthew Cole Schmidt.
A graveside burial service was held at Hoffnungsau Cemetery of rural Inman. A memorial service was held at Bethel College Mennonite Church.
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Lester Norman Kennel, 84, died July 11, 2004, at Heritage Crossings in Geneva, Neb., where he had been a resident since March. He was born Jan. 6, 1920, to Peter and Anna Reeb Kennel in Fillmore County near Shickley.
His formal education included eight years at Bluffs School near Strang and a short term at Hesston (Kan.) College. He accepted Christ in his youth and was baptized into Salem Mennonite Church of Shickley, where he remained a faithful member until his death. He was deeply committed to the Lord and made it a priority to pass on the Christian faith. He had great concern for the spiritual well-being of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He served in a number of lay leadership ministries at Salem Mennonite Church, including Sunday school teacher, chorister, sexton, trustee and elder. He also served on several committees in the former Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference and as school board president of Shickley Public School.
On Jan. 8, 1941, he married Lola Stauffer of Milford. They lived their entire married life in the Strang community.
They were engaged in farming and livestock production until he retired in 1982. He then worked as a woodcrafter, making numerous items such as quilt racks, shelves and, most notably, walking canes. He found great enjoyment spending time with family. They enjoyed many trips visiting family, two memorable trips to the Holy Land, and a tour of Anabaptist sites in Europe.
Survivors include his wife, Lola; three children, Ron and his wife, Judy, of Goshen, Ind., Cecil and his wife, Sharon, of Strang, and Debra Jaberg and her husband, Mike, of Strang; five grandchildren; fourgreat-grandchildren; and three brothers, Mahlon of Shickley, Willard of Salem, Ore., and Leroy of Schaumburg, Ill.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Harry; and a sister, Fern Springer.
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Waldo Waltner, 80, of Moundridge, Kan., died July 30, 2004, at Memorial Home. He was born Nov. 21, 1923, to Peter A. and Lydia (Wedel) Waltner in Moundridge.
He was a lifelong Moundridge resident. He graduated from Moundridge High School in 1941.
He married Verna Funk of Jan. 3, 1957, in Hillsboro.
He was the owner-operator of Central Kansas Hatchery and a farmer. He was a member of Eden Mennonite Church of rural Moundridge.
Survivors include his wife, Verna; a son, Jerome Waltner and his wife, Kerri, of Newton; a daughter, Dianne Waltner of Haysville; two sisters, Edna Nachtigal of Moundridge and Della Klassen of Phoenix, Ariz.; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Philip, Arthur and Walter Waltner; and a sister, Alice Hess.
Memorial services were held at Eden Mennonite Church. Burial was in the Eden Church Cemetery.
Mennonite Weekly Review - August 16, 2004 - 82nd Year, No. 33, p. 12
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Ernest Franklin Hooley, 87, of Goshen, Ind., died April 25 at his home. He was born July 11, 1916, to Noah and Sovilla (Blough) Hooley in Shipshewana.
He married Anna Grayce Miller on June 24, 1944, in LaGrange.
He attended grade school at Huff School, where he missed only two days of school in eight years. He graduated from Shipshewana High School in 1934. He attended Winter Bible School at Goshen College for four years and served in Civilian Public Service in Iowa and California.
He worked as a carpenter most of his life in the Shipshewana area. Prior to retirement he worked for Gerring Industries in Shipshewana. He moved to Goshen in 1987.
He was a member of Shore Mennonite Church in Shipshewana, where he served on many committees and taught Sunday school. After moving to Goshen, he regularly attended College Mennonite Church. He participated in service projects with Mennonite Disaster Service. He was a volunteer at Menno-Hof and enjoyed his woodworking shop, flower garden, traveling and putting together puzzles.
Survivors include his wife, Anna Grayce; four daughters, Rita Troyer of Goshen, Marsha Miller and her husband, Randy, of Elkhart, Cecilia Wyse and her husband, Duane, of Wauseon, Ohio, and Brenda Nebel and her husband, Brian, of Hesston, Kan.; two sons, Delmar and his wife, Joan, of Front Royal, Va., and Eric and his wife, Glenda, of Goshen; two sisters, Florence Rheinheimer of Shipshewana and Fern Showalter of Middlebury; a brother, LaVern Hooley of Shipshewana; 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren.
Mennonite Weekly Review - August 23, 2004 - 82nd Year, No. 34, p. 8
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Waldo E. Miller, 84, of Hesston, Kan., died July 14, 2004, at his home after suffering a massive stroke. He was born Oct. 4, 1919, to Roy and Maggie (Kauffman) Miller in Windom.
He married Neva Beck of Hesston on May 25, 1941.
He grew up in Windom and worked at Ford Motor Co. in Hutchinson. He attended Hesston Academy and entered the ministry in 1952. He pastored Mennonite churches in Harper, Belleville, Pa., Hesston and Moundridge.
Survivors include his wife, Neva; seven children, Leo Miller of Ellsworth, John Miller of Farmers Branch, Texas; Scott Miller, Jaynette Miller and Janice Schroeder, all of Newton, Joana Oswald of McPherson and Judy Richert of Inman; a brother, Wilmer Miller of Hutchinson; a sister, Pauline Swartzentruber* of Iowa City, Iowa; 26 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Daryl Miller.
Services were held at Hesston Inter-Mennonite Fellowship. Burial
was in Eastlawn Cemetery near Hesston.
*Name should be Pauline Swartzendruber -
correction from son, Robert Swartzendruber - tlm-1/13/2010
Mennonite Weekly Review - August 30, 2004 - 82nd Year, No. 35, p. 8
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Orlo Goering, 86, of Moundridge, Kan., died July 29, 2004. He was born Nov. 16, 1917, to Andrew C and Katarina Flickner Goering.
He was a graduate of Bethel College in North Newton.
In 1944 he married Helen Krehbiel, with whom he shared 59 years of life and happiness.
A man of faith and an active and supportive member of Eden Mennonite Church, he participated regularly in various activities of service in his church and the wider community. At the heart of his life was a deep and abiding belief in the dignity of all humankind and a personal commitment to doing whatever he could to make the world a better and more peaceful place. His concern for the welfare of those less fortunate manifested itself in many ways, particularly in his service to God and humanity during his assignments in Civilian Public Service and overseas for Mennonite Central Committee in Europe after World War II.
He loved the beauty of the earth and all things living and sought to live in harmony on the land with creatures great and small. From a lookout tower in the mountains of California to a tiller of the soil in Kansas, he spent many hours in the great outdoors and marveled at the varieties of life around him. He was drawn to the serenity of countless prairie sunsets, and often gazed in admiration at the stars and constellations in the heavens. Their splendor nourished his spirit and aroused his sense of wonder. He was tirelessly dedicated to practices of conservation and responsible stewardship of the land.
Survivors include his wife, Helen; a daughter, Germaine Bird and her husband, Gene, of rural Moundridge; a son, Curt, of New York City; a daughter, Beaty Robb and her husband, Jim, of Newton; a sister, Fern of North Newton; a brother, Lester of Moundridge; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by four sisters, Dorothy, Adina, Emma and Sophia; and two brothers, Peter and Martin.
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Oscar Earl Wyatt, 85, of Albany, Ore., died Aug. 13, 2004. He was born Aug. 22, 1918, to James R. and Hester (Duncan) Wyatt in the remote Ozark Mountains near Culp, Ark.
He grew up farming, hunting and exploring the scenic 160 acres his father had homesteaded. They raised cotton, hogs and cattle for sale, and soybeans and corn for their own use. He attended the one-room City Rock School. Since sometimes the district could only afford to pay the teacher three months each year, graduating from eighth grade took him into his teen years.
In 1939, a teacher he'd befriended, who had gone to Kansas, returned to Arkansas with a gospel team and said he could take him to Hesston, Kan., to attend high school. He graduated from Hesston Academy in 1943.
In 1938, he decided to follow Christ in life. After graduation from high school he worked harvests throughout the Midwest and at a hardware store in Kansas City.
He married Lois Pauline Widmer on June 20, 1948, in Woodburn, Ore. They lived in Woodburn, and he worked for Kropf Lumber Co. for four years.
In 1953, after he began with Southern Pacific Railroad, they moved to the Albany area, living in Tangent most of the time. He worked for the railroad for 33 years before retiring in 1985.
He enjoyed his large garden, horses and beekeeping. He lived with an implanted artificial heart valve for 41 years. He was an avid reader and student of the Bible. His faith was strong and his heart the kindest. He was an active member of Albany Mennonite Church for 50 years.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, L. Pauline; two daughters, Marcine Jackson and her husband, Ted, of Portland, and Miriam Rasmussen and her husband, John, of Wilsonville; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Erline, who died of cancer at age 14; and a sister, Dovie Curtis.