Fast, Helena Hamm (1860-1929)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1929 Apr 24 p. 2

Birth date: 1860 Sep 25

text of obituary:

Mrs. Gerhard Fast

Mt. Lake, Minn., April 11 — Mrs. Gerhard Fast will be laid to rest in the Valley church cemetery this afternoon at 4 o’clock after an illness of nearly seven years. Her health began to fail in summer of the year 1922 and since then Mrs. Fast has been losing vitality until a stroke of apoplexy, ten days before her end, completely robbed her of her strength. Since July 1928 she has not been able to attend church services, and in Jan. this year, her condition grew so serious that she spent most of her time in bed. Funeral services will be held at the Valley church on Thursday afternoon.

Mrs. Helena Fast, nee Hamm, was born in Gerlitzki, South Russia Sept. 25, 1860. In the year 1875 she accompanied her parents to this country and her parents, David Hamm, settled on a farm 5 miles northwest of Mt. Lake. Upon confession of her faith, she became a member of the church in her 18th year. On Nov. 5, 1878 she became the wife of Gerhard Fast. In the fall of 1928 Mr. and Mrs. Fast celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Eleven children were born to them of whom four preceded her in death. She reached an age of 68 years, 6 months and 12 days, and is survived by her bereaved husband, 5 sons and 2 daughters 5 daughters-in-law, 2 sons-in-law, 21 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, 2 sisters and many relatives and friends. — View