Hertzler, Dora Mae Kauffman (1901-1963)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1963 Jan 31 p. 7

Birth date: 1901 Mar 25

text of obituary:

Life's Journey Ends During Visit In Jungles of Peru

Denbigh, Va. — Memorial services were held Jan. 20 at the Warwick River Mennonite Church here for a faithful member of the congregation whose death occurred unexpectedly Jan. 9 in the jungles of Peru, South America. The services were in charge of Truman Brunk and John Shenk.

After bidding farewell to her local family and friends, Mrs. Dora Hertzler started out on Dec. 1, 1962 into new and untried horizons. First she spent a ost enjoyable week with her son, Dwight Hertzler and family in Sarasota, Fla. Then she flew from Miami to Lima, Peru. Here, while awaiting transportation, she spent a couple of days helping to cut records for the Wycliff Bible Translators.

She stayed at her son Leroy's home in jungle-bound Pucallpa on the 13th. There she spent the Christmas season with his family in a summer climate and had the satisfaction of seeing how they live in this land that is so different. On Dec. 31 she wrote that she had visited Leroy's farm; that the insects had bitten her all over; that it was too hot to sew on her new dress in the daytime; and that she was thinking of coming home soon.

On the morning of the 9th Dora was heart to say, "On this day my mother died 37 years ago." At noon she suddenly collapsed, and in spite of the ministrations of a doctor, was soon gone. Her son says, "We were glad she could stop to see us on her way to heaven."

Burial in Peru

By special permission, she was buried in the plot belonging to the Wycliff Translators at Pucallpa. The news was sent to the family via amateur radio, the fastest means of communication from that place.

Dora Mae, daughter of Christian and Katherine Kauffman, was born in Kalona, Iowa on March 25, 1901. On July 31, 1925, she was married to Ethan Hertzler. In February 1936 she moved with her family to Denbigh, where she had made her home ever since. In 1950 her husband died, leaving her to finish rearing the family alone.

Besides Dwight and Leroy, other surviving children are Marvin, Howard and Eunice (Mrs. Everett Steiner), of Denbigh, and Byron of Powhatan, Va. There are also eight grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Mary Wickerham of Springfield, O. and Mrs. Stella Binkele of Plymouth, Ind.; and two brothers, Otis and Irvin Kauffman of West Liberty, O.