Goering, Mary Wedel (1866-1971)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1971 Jan 14 p. 6

Birth date: 1866 Jan 9

text of obituary:

Was Last of Immigrants

Funeral of Mother and Son, 105 and 83, at Moundridge

Mary Wedel Goering, as photographed in 1964, the 90th anniversary year of the Mennonite immigration to Kansas.

MOUNDRIDGE, KAN. — Joint funeral services for a mother and son — both pioneers of this nearly a century-old Mennonite community — were held at the Eden Mennonite Church here Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 10:30 a.m.

The mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Mary Wedel Goering, died Saturday, Jan. 9, at Memorial Nursing Home on her 105th birthday. Her son Edmond r. Goering, a former teacher and farmer for 65 years, died a few hours later on Sunday, Jan. 10 in Mercy Hospital at the age of 83.

"WE HAVE gathered her to carry to their last earthly resting place a mother and son," said Dr. M. A. Fast, the officiating minister and pastor of the church. "We are laying away the oldest member of our church and the last of Swiss immigrants who established this settlement here in 1874."

Reminding the gathered family and friends that Grandmother Goering had learned and always read the Scriptures in German, Dr. Fast read the 23rd Psalm in the German language.

Rev. Roland Goering, pastor of the First Mennonite Church of Hillsboro, preached the funeral sermon, basing his message on Eccl. 3:1-4.

"There is a time for everything. It is not only beautiful to be born, it is also beautiful to die. Birth and death may be separated by 83 years or separated by 105 years . . . Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints," Rev. Goering said.

Both mother and son were members of the Eden Church.

GRANDMOTHER Goering born in Volhynia, Russia, Jan. 9, 1866, immigrated to McPherson County, Kan. at the age of eight, settling on the still open prairie with her parents and 64 other Swiss Mennonite families. In 1886 she was married to Joseph A. Goering, who died in 1943. She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. C. P. Wedel and her husband, 10 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, 38 great-great-grandchildren and five great-great-great-grandchildren, a total of 71 direct descendants.

Edmond R. Goering was born March 31, 1887, at Moundridge. On Aug. 18, 1931, he was married to Maria Stucky, who preceded him in death in February of 1970. He is survived by a son, Leland and family, and by one sister, Mrs. Wedel.

Committal services, conducted by Dr. Fast, were held in the church due to the snow and eight-degree weather.