Andres, Mary M. (1899-1940)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1940 Dec 11 p. 1

Birth date: 1899 Nov 24

text of obituary:

Two Women Killed In Auto Accident At Roswell, N. Mex.

ACCIDENT TAKES LIFE OF MARY ANDRES AND MARIE BOESE; TWO OTHERS INJURED

Relatives and friends here and at Goessel were shocked by the tragic news that came Tuesday noon stating that Mary Andres and Marie Boese were killed in an automobile accident near Roswell, New Mexico, early that morning. The two others in the car, Augusta Unruh and Katie Andres, sister of Mary, were seriously injured. Miss Unruh suffered a fracture of the frontal base of the skull and according to late reports today is in a critical condition.

The four women left in the car of Mary Andres Monday morning for a vacation in Mew [sic New] Mexico and California. Having spent Monday night somewhere in or near Clovis, New Mexico, they continued their trip early Tuesday morning with the intention of spending the day at Carlsbad Caverns.

At Roswell they crashed into the rear of a truck with semi-trailer just before dawn, — at about five o'clock A.M. The truck had broken down Monday in the traffic lane on the main highway, where it was left until Tuesday. Evidently the truck was not seen soon enough in the light of the Andres car to avoid the crash.

Whatever details of the accident were available were telephoned to relatives here this morning and at noon by Herman Andres, a brother of the Andres sisters, and John Unruh, brother of Augusta Unruh. Both men left by train for New Mexico immediately after receiving the news of the tragedy on Tuesday.

According to information available today, the Misses Andres and Boese must have been killed instantly. Identification of these victims was difficult, since the two who escaped with their lives were also seriously injured, and as a result several hours elapsed before word could be sent here to relatives.

The condition of Katie Andres, who suffered bruises in her face and a large gash in her leg, is quite promising and she has a good chance to recover. She was in a semi-conscious condition this morning.

Among the relatives from here who rushed to the scene of the accident in New Mexico Tuesday were Gus Andres and son Willis, Miss Elizabeth Andres, Mrs. B. C. Regier and Mrs. G. P. Regier of Newton, and relatives of Marie Boese of Goessel.

Mary Andres was elected to the office of register of deeds of Harvey county at the November election. Marie Boese was the daughter of A. H. Boese of Goessel, and is a former employee of the Midland Mutual Fire Ins. Co.

The body of Miss Boese is being brought back by the Bergen ambulance of Goessel, while the body of Miss Andres is being shipped on the train and will arrive in Newton at 4:05 Thursday afternoon. Willis Andres accompanies the body of Miss Adnres. Herman Andres and his sister, Mrs. B. P. Regier, will remain at the bedside of Katie Andres, until she can be brought to a hospital here at Newton.

This great tragedy has cast a deep shadow over the entire community. Funeral services for the accident victims have not yet been announce.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1940 Dec 18 p. 1

text of obituary:

Funeral Services For Accident Victims At Newton and Goessel

KATIE ANDRES AND AUGUSTA UNRUH IN NEW MEXICO ARE IMPROVING

Funeral services for Katie [sic Mary] Andres and Marie Boese, who were killed in an automobile accident about 40 miles northeast of Roswell, New Mexico, last week, were held at Newton and Goessel last Sunday and Monday. Both were fatally injured Tuesday, Dec. 10, when their car crashed into the rear of a large truck stalled on the highway.

A crowd of sorrowing friends and relatives filled the Goessel Mennonite church to capacity Sunday afternoon for the funeral of Marie Boese. A loud speaker was set up in the basement of the church to accommodate the overflow crowd. Words of comfort were spoken by the ministers of the church, Rev. Peter Buller and Rev. P. P. Buller. Rev. P. H. Unruh of the Alexanderwohl church offered the closing prayer.

Final rites for Mary Andres were held at the First Mennonite church in Newton Monday afternoon. Having been known in the community through her faithful service in the church, and as deputy register of deeds in the Harvey county court house, many people from far and near came to pay their last respects to their departed friend. Rev. J. E. Entz and Dr. A. Warkentin, minsters of the church, preached the funeral sermons.

The position of Miss Andres, who was elected registrar of deeds at the November election, will be filled by appointment by the board of county commissioners.

Reports from the St. Mary's hospital at Roswell, N. M., state that Katie Andres and Augusta Unruh, the other victims of last week's tragedy, are slightly improved. It was expected that an operation on Miss Unruh would be performed sometime this week in order to correct, if possible, the serious fractures she suffered in her face and at tee base of the skull. Both Miss Andres and Miss Unruh are to be brought to Newton as soon as their condition will permit.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1941 Jan 1 p. 5

text of obituary:

Mary M. Andres

Mary M. Andres, daughter of Gustave and Anna Andres, nee Neufeldt, was born November 24, 1899, in Newton, Kansas, and departed this life at Roswell, New Mexico, December 10, 1940.

At the age of 16, she was baptized upon the confession of her faith and joined the First Mennonite church of Newton, of which she was a faithful and active member until her death. She received her education in district school, Bethel College and Teachers College at Emporia.

So dear Mary, you came to dwell in our midst, a quiet, tender plant in the garden of earth, an expression of love and gentleness from the heart of God. We knew the gift of tender love was yours as we watched you grow through childhood seeking out the timid hearts among your playmates, drawing them to your side with your arms in protecting love about them, wiping their tears, comforting them. We loved you for it and as you grew, we saw this gift implanted in your heart by the creator, grow stronger in it's power. We saw you serving the Creator with this gift, still through the years we saw you gathering the children about you, taking them in your arms, quieting their fears, teaching them gently, lighting their eyes with joy, going with them through the first steps toward the Kingdom of God. You left them as a last gift, the song "This Little Light of Mine".

It was the determination of your heart to let your light shine and it shone in quietness, warming our hearts wherever you went. We saw you slipping into your place on the organ seat, through so many years, forgetting your presence here as our hearts communed with the Divine in response to the organ tones, you loved the hymns of the Church. How often you have quieted and comforted our hearts with them and how often from your home and heart the beautiful chorales put an evening hush upon the neighborhood. And when you slipped away from us, you left the hymnal open at the silent ipano [sic], the pages turned to the song: "All the Way my Saviour Leads me".

Yes, He doeth all things well. You wanted to slip away from us for a week, and from the work which you loved and to which you have been so faithful through the years, knowing not that the heart of God planned a far more beautiful sight than the Carlsbad Caverns.

His way led Home. Kneeling, we found you, sweet pilgrim of earth, no longer here. Your soul had left a kneeling posture of its house of clay, but you had flown to view the face of God and the Lamb and dwell with them for whom your heart had longed.

And, as a last gift from your tender heart, we take the comfort you left us on the other page of your hymn book. It is as though your thoughtful soul on it's flight homeward dropped a leaflet back to earth, for we caught it not until you were safe in your Heavenly Home. When we knew you had arrived there, we found the words of strength God moved your heart to leave us, "God will take care of you."

She leaves to mourn her early departure her sisters: Katie, Librarian of St. John, Kansas, Elizabeth of the home, Mrs. B. C. Regier, Mrs. G. P. Regier; her brothers, G. H. Andres, H. J. Andres and P. C. Andres, all of Newton, and a host of relatives and friends.

She was laid to rest beside her parents who preceded her in death, her father having passed away on November 26, 1913, and her mother on February 18, 1937.

Funeral services were held Monday, December 16, 1940, with a short service and prayer at the home followed by services at the Mennonite church, with Rev. J. E. Entz and Rev. A. Warkentin officiating. Music at the home was furnished by the Bethel Sisters, and at the church service by the church choir. Six nephews acted as pall bearers, Gus H. Regier, Orlando L. Adnres, Walter H. Regier, Herman B. Regier, Walter K. Andres and willis G. Andres. Burial was made in the family lot in Greenwood Cemetery by funeral directors of the Moody-Hinitt Funeral Home.