Boldt, Elizabeth Funk (1902-1977)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1977 Dec 23 p. 28

Birth date: 1902 June 23

text of obituary:

MRS. ELIZABETH BOLDT

(Mrs.) Elizabeth Boldt of St. Catharines, Ont., quietly entered the presence of the Lord she loved on November 15, 1977. She was born on June 23, 1902, the daughter of Nicolai and Justina (Schroeder) Funk of Jugowka, Neusamara, south Russia. After her mother died her father remarried, but he was also taken during a typhoid epidemic in 1921. In 1929 she joined her stepmother and children in the long journey to Paraguay through Germany. On July 16, 1931 she married John Boldt and accepted his daughter Tina as her child. His wife and three children had died during a typhoid epidemic in Paraguay.

The Boldts were blessed with one son and five daughters. They arrived in Canada in 1953, settling first in Leamington and then moving to St. Catharines. They had been members of the Evangelical Alliance church in Paraguay, but joined the Mennonite Brethren Church in Canada.

A year before her passing, Mrs. Boldt became ill and bone cancer was diagnosed. Months of great suffering followed while her family cared for her. She experienced the pain without rebelling; seldom did she complain. Her great spirit of thanksgiving was a blessing to many and she brought encouragement to family members and visitors through repeating Bible verses and songs.

She leaves to mourn her loving husband, John; their children, Tina, Jake and Ema Boldt, Liz and John Wall, Helen and Melvin Thiessen, Anne and Dennis Wiebe, Joanne and Glen Unruh, all of St. Catharines, and Agnes and Gerhard Toews of Leamington; 17 grandchildren; three sisters, (Mrs.) Anna Martens of Clearbrook, B.C.; (Mrs.) Agnes Rahn of Paraguay, and (Mrs.) Maria Zehrt in Russia; and many relatives and friends.