If this site was useful to you, we'd be happy for a small donation. Be sure to enter "MLA donation" in the Comments box.
Detwiler, Emeline Fretz (1858-1950)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1950 Jun 8 p. 5
Birth date: 1858
text of obituary:
In Mission and Charitable Organizations
MRS. EMELINE DETWILER
OF SOUDERTON, PENNA.
Souderton, Pa. — Funeral services were conducted at the Zion Mennonite church here on May 24 for the congregation's oldest member and for many years a leader in Sunday school, missionary and charitable activities.
She was Mrs. Emeline (Fretz) Detwiler 92, who passed away at Grand View hospital Sunday morning a few hours after being struck by a car while crossing the street on the way to Sunday school. Although it appeared she was not seriously injured, death came suddenly a short while after head and leg injuries had been dressed at the hospital.
Mrs. Detwiler's husband, Henry D. Detwiler, passed away in 1936, and in recent years she had made her home with her step-son, Harry M. Detwiler.
The Souderton paper gave the following account of her long service to church and charitable organizations:
"Mrs. Detwiler was deeply interested in mission work and in organizations for relief and charity. She was the oldest member of Zion Mennonite Church and was a teacher in the Primary Department of the Sunday school for 46 years. Upon her retirement from teaching, in 1937, she was honored for her long record of splendid work.
"She held membership in the Women's Missionary Society, and was president of the Ladies' Aid Society from 1895 to 1937, continuing close association with this organization through the remaining years of her life. During her presidency this group met regularly at the Detwiler home. Here too, much of the business of the congregation was transacted. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Detwiler was an "open house" for church groups and for visiting clergy and laymen.
"Mrs. Detwiler was one of the first directors of the local branch of the Needlework Guild of America, and continued active after the duties of a director became too burdensome. Though advanced in age, she made as many as twenty quilt tops per year for this work.
"In spite of a busy life she found time to indulge her fondness for reading, and in more recent years, spent much of her time in this way.
"Among a host of friends and acquaintances she was affectionately known as "Grammy Detwiler."
She is survived by her step-son, who is casher [sic] of Union National Bank and Trust company; a step-daughter, Mrs. Katie Hedrick of Souderton; three sisters and one brother, Mrs. Barbara Wasser of Bedminster, Mrs. Abram S. Moyer of Chalfont, Mrs. Jacob M. Landis of Quakertown, and Francis M. Fretz of Perkasie; and a number of step grandchildren, step great grandchildren, and step great great grandchildren.
The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Ellis Graber and Rev. J. Herbert Fretz.
The Mennonite obituary: 1950 Jun 13 p. 418
