Eck, Helena Unruh (1865-1933)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1933 May 2 p. 14

Birth date: 1865 Mar 2

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1933 May 3 p. 2

text of obituary:

Mrs. Jacob A. Eck

Mrs. Jacob A. Eck, nee Helena Unruh, daughter of Peter and Karolina (Koehn) Unruh, was born March 2, 1865, in south Russia in the Province, Polen.

In the year 1874 her parents with their family immigrated to America and settled in McPherson county, Kansas, where she grew to womanhood and was baptized on October 28, 1883, by the Elder Johan Ratzlaff and joined the “Canton” (now Emmanuel) Mennonite church near Galva.

On February 25, 1884, she joined in holy matrimony with Jacob A. Eck. this union was blessed with 7 children: Susie, Mrs. Ed Johnson, who died about 15 years ago; John at Taloga, Oklhahoma [sic] Dina, Mrs. J. B. Wedel, Fairview, Oklahoma; Marie, Mrs. Dan P. Schmidt, Los Angeles, California; Peter, who disappeared about 20 years ago; Erdna, Mrs. Albert Koehn, Fairview, Oklahoma; and Pauline, Mrs. Peter B. Koehn, who died on June 12, 1932.

In the year 1895 the family moved to Oklahoma and through industry and economy secured a home six miles north of Meno, Oklohamo [sic]. Here her dear husband passed away on August 29, 1929, and since that time she made her home mostly with her children.

Her health began to fail because of the tragic disease, cancer of the stomach, and on Saturday, April 22, 1933, at 3 o’clock in the afternoon she passed away at the home of Albert Koehn near Orianta [sic Orienta], Oklahoma, at the age of 68 years, one month, and 20 days.

She leaves to mourn her departure 5 children, 27 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, a step-mother, 2 sisters, 4 brothers, and many relatives and friends.

When the Newhopedale Mennonite church was organized in the year 1895, she joined this church as member and remained a true, quiet Christian member of the same to her end.

Funeral services were conducted April 25, 1933, at 2 P.M. in the Newhopedale Mennonite church near Meno, with Rev. H. U. Schmidt, the pastor, preaching the English sermon and Rev. J. J. Ratzlaff, Newton, Kansas, the German sermon. A quartet rendered three familiar hymns, and the body was laid to rest by the side of husband.