Balzer, Jacob (Mrs.) Ediger (1835-1929)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1929 May 1 p. 1

Birth date: 1835 Sep 21

text of obituary:

AGED MT. LAKE PIONEER CALLED BY DEATH

Mt. Lake, Minn., April 25. — Grandmother Jacob Balzer, the community's oldest resident, and one of the early pioneers in this territory, passed to the Great Beyond Tuesday evening shortly after nine o'clock, following a long siege of illness. She reached the age og [sic] 93 years, 7 months and 2 days, and had been praying for the end for some time, as she suffered a great deal during the past year.

Funeral services will be held from the Bethel church Sunday afternoon.

The deceased was born on September 21st, 1835 in the village of Gnadenfeld, South Russia, as the oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Ediger, and the sister of her younger brother Franz Ediger, who died in Hillsboro, Kansas, at the age of 86 years. She spent the days of her youth here and also the days of her womanhood,until she came to America with her husband and family on May 25th 1877. She visited the village school, which was under the direction of Peter Neufeld at that time, of whom she often spoke with love and respect.

She was confirmed at the age of seventeen, and received the baptismal service from Elder Peter Wedel in the Alexanderwohl congregation. She was married to Jacob Balzer at the age of twenty-three.

The union was blessed with ten children, 3 sons and 7 daughters. Two daughters died in infancy, and another, Elizabeth, died at the age of forty-one years, in 1913.

Grandmother has been hearty and well until the past year. A serious eye operation several years ago was successful, and she retained her strength of body and mind until not long ago. Her husband died in 1911 at the age of 77 years. The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1908. She resided in her house here in the village for many years, but during the past several years has made her home with the A. A. Penner family.

She leaves to mourn her death three sons, Rev. J. J. Balzer, Frank Balzer, Sr., and Sam Balzer; four daughters, Mrs. Martin Franz, Mrs. Anna Bargen, Mrs. A. A. Penner, all of Mountain Lake, and Mrs. Corn. Janzen of Oregon; 33 grandchildren. — Observer.