Graber, Delpha Waltner (1917-2009)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2009 Sep 14 p. 9

Birth date: 1917 Oct 26

text of obituary:

DELPHA GRABER

Delpha Graber, 91, of Foley, Minn., died Aug. 28, 2009, at the Foley Nursing Center.

She was born Oct. 26, 1917, to Jacob P. and Mary J. (Miller) Waltner in Kingman, Kan. The family moved to Freeman, S.D., the next year. Upon confession of her faith, she was baptized and joined Salem Mennonite Church.

When she was 15, her father died of tuberculosis. With her mother, Mary, she and her sisters were able to work together to sustain their farm even through the Depression years. She graduated from Freeman Academy in 1934, Freeman Junior College in 1936 and earned her bachelor of arts degree from Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., in 1939. She also studied at Hartford (Conn.) Theological Seminary.

She married Ellis Graber on June 25, 1944. She was an active partner in church ministry, directing choirs, motion worship choirs and renditions of Handel’s Messiah. She was blessed with beautiful soprano voice and sang her entire life. She found great fulfillment as the activity director at Mennonite Memorial Home in Bluffton, Ohio. As a loving wife and mother, she was selfless in supporting Ellis, who was a pastor, by driving tractors, milking cows, giving chapel talks and even preaching sermons. She will be remembered for her faith, indomitable spirit and constant grace.

Survivors include a son, Eric Graber of Minneapolis; three daughters, Connie Blaylock and her husband, Dale, of Pioneer, Calif., Joan Brauen and her husband, Bill, of Foley, and Karen Sims and her husband, DJ, of Maize, Kan.; two sisters, Welma Waltner of Freeman, S.D., and Stella Schrag of Forest Grove, Ore.; a brother-in-law, LeRoy Graber of Freeman, S.D.; 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 45 years, Ellis; two children, Scott Conway and Norma Jean; and a grandson, Jacob Kester.

Funeral services were held at First Presbyterian Church of Foley. A memorial service and burial were in Salem-Zion Mennonite Church, Freeman, S.D.