Mennonite World Review - December 2012
Obituaries are emailed to MennObits before MWR is printed. Wording may vary in printed version.
Kauffman, Marvin, Dean; . . King, Elsie Ruth Brackbill; . . Kurtz, Hilda Mae Sutter; . .
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Kurtz, Hilda Mae Sutter
Hilda Mae Kurtz, 86, of Sarasota, Fla., died Oct. 2, 2012. She was born May 29, 1926, to Lawrence and Sarah Sutter of Hopedale, Ill.
She married Al Kurtz on Jan. 21, 1948, in Louisville, Ohio. They moved to Sarasota in 1951.
She was a member of Bay Shore Mennonite Church since 1951, and she and Al were part of the Upper Room cluster. She served as Upper Room coordinator for several years and also served on the social and fellowship committee in the late 1990s. She was an avid quilter, and one of her goals was to make quilts for each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She served with Mennonite Disaster Service, where she could be found preparing the meals for the volunteers. She enjoyed reading and challenging puzzles.
Survivors include her husband of 64 years, Al; four children, Sandi Kurtz Honaker, Gary, Wendell and Mauri Kurtz; a brother, Eldo Sutter; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, Ivis, Mervin and Omar Sutter; a sister, Odela Shank; and a grandchild, Christopher Kurtz.
Graveside services were held at Sarasota Memorial Park. Memorial services were held at Bay Shore Mennonite Church.
Mennonite World Review - December 24, 2012 - 90 th Year, No. 30 - p. 19
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Elsie Ruth Brackbill King, 90, of Ephrata, Pa., died Nov. 30, 2012, at Fairmount Homes, where she had been a resident for two years. She was born July 4, 1922, to Harry G. and Myrtle (Haldeman) Brackbill in Malvern.
On April 5, 1942, she married Emery Daniel King. He preceded her in death on Sept. 12, 1998.
She graduated from Eastern Mennonite School in 1940 and was involved in nearly every operation of her parent's store, Brackbill's Farm Markets in Malvern. She was a member of Frazer Mennonite Church, where she was a Sunday school teacher and served as secretary of the Frazer Summer Bible School and the Marsh Hill Summer Bible School. In 1986 she moved with her husband to Marsh Hill, where they enjoyed their retirement years and helped establish Mountain View Fellowship.
She was well known for her gracious hospitality and good food as evidenced by her guest books, which she maintained faithfully for all of her married life. Her home was open to anyone and everyone. She loved playing table games with her children and grandchildren.
Survivors include four sons and one daughter, Harry King and his wife, Marge Hertzler, of Malvern, Ralph King and his wife, Brenda Hummel, of Sugarcreek, Ohio, Lois Huston and her husband, David, of Malvern, David King and his wife, Debra Glick, of Harrisonburg, Va., and Daniel King and his wife, Laurita, of Trout Run; 13 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and four step-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Emery; a sister, Gertrude; two stillborn sisters; and a granddaughter.
Memorial services were held at Frazer Mennonite Church. Burial was in Frazer Mennonite Cemetery. An additional memorial service was held at Mountain View Fellowship in Bodines.
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Marvin Dean Kauffman, 76, of Albany, Ore., died Dec. 6, 2012, at the Mennonite Home. He was born June 25, 1936, to Carl and Elizabeth Kauffman in Creston, Mont.
He graduated from Western Mennonite High School in 1956. He attended Eastern Mennonite College in 1958-59. He served his 1-W with Mennonite Central Committee in Haiti for two years. He graduated from Oregon State University with a bachelor of science in soils degree in 1963.
He married Anna Grace Zook in August 1964.
They lived in Ithaca, N.Y., until he graduated in 1965 with a Master of Science degree from Cornell University. They moved to Oregon in 1965. They served with Rosedale Mennonite Missions from 1966 to 1969 in Costa Rica. In 1977 he received his doctor of philosophy degree with a focus on soil science from Oregon State University. He and his family moved to Albany in 1976, where he lived till his death. In 1980 he became an independent soil scientist/consultant, active member of the Oregon Ryegrass Growers Association, lifelong member of the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants and a member of Mennonite Economic Development Associates.
He was a member of Fairview Mennonite Church, Albany. He served as a board member of the Mennonite Home for 25 years. He was not afraid to discuss science and the Bible, believing that the more science discovered the more evidence there was to praise his Creator God. Hobbies included fishing, wood cutting, hunting and exploring new Oregon territories.
Survivors include his wife, Anna Grace; two daughters, Lynn of Albany and Karen of Bend; a sister, Nadine of Lebanon; and sisters-in-law Ruth Kauffman of Portland and Joy Kauffman-King of Goshen, Ind.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Fern, in 1995; and two brothers, Gerald in 1999 and Ervin in 2005.
There was a private family burial with a memorial service at Fairview Mennonite Church of Albany.