If this site was useful to you, we'd be happy for a small donation. Be sure to enter "MLA donation" in the Comments box.
Kuhlmann, David Eugene (1937-1951)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 Jul 26 p. 1, 3
Birth date: 1937 Aug 20
text of obituary:
Kuhlmann Family In Tragic Auto Accident
FUNERAL SERVICES FOR MRS. KUHLMANN, GRANDSON HELD AT WHITEWATER
The Emmaus Mennonite church at Whitewater was filled to capacity, Wednesday, 4:00 p.m., by sorrowing relatives, friends and acquaintances at the funeral of Mrs. Maria Kuhlmann, 77, and her grandson, David Kuhlmann, 14, both of whom died of injuries received in the highway accident of Rev. Paul Kuhlmann family at Casper, Wyoming last week.
The services were in charge of the pastor, Rev. Walter H. Dyck, a nephew of the deceased Mrs. Kuhlmann. Rev. August Ewert, business manager of Grace Bible Institute, Omaha, Nebr., preached the sermon. The bodies were laid to rest in the Zion church cemetery.
Services for the immediate family were held at 3:00 o’clock at the home of Rev. H. J. Dyck in Elbing, conducted by Rev. Eli Cook of the Missionary church.
Missionary Ernest [sic Ernst] Kuhlman, husband of Mrs. Maria Kuhlman, received the message of his wife’s death in Germany, where he was visiting since May. He returned immediately by plane, reaching Omaha at 3:00 a.m., Sunday, July 22, and with Rev. Walter H. Dyck was present at the Santa Fe station as the bodies arrived in Newton early Tuesday morning.
The accident occurred 10 miles northwest of Casper on U. S. 20 at 4:30 p. m., Wednesday, July 18 as the Kuhlmanns were on their way for a vacation in Yellowstone National Park. Driver of the car was Rev. Kuhlman, dean of Grace Bible Institute, Omaha, Nebr. With him were his wife, Helene; his mother, Mrs. Maria Kuhlmann and their children, David, 13 Ruth, 11, Grace, 9, Ernest, 7, and Johnnie, 4.
Grandmother Kuhlmann died at the scene of accident and David in Memorial Hospital in Casper at 1:30 a.m. during the following night. Neither had regained consciousness.
The remaining family members are still hospitalized in Casper, Mrs. Helene Kuhlmann and Ruth being the two most seriously injured.
Mrs. Kuhlmann is in shock, has a broken right arm, a fracture below the right knee and multiple lacerations, while Ruth suffers of concussion and head injuries. Rex Kuhlman had a dislocated hip and painful bruises.
Driver of the other car involved in the crosh [sic] was William C. ing [sic King], of Alvora, Texas, a pipeline worker with a construction company operating in Wyoming. Highway patrolmen arriving at the scene said he had just passed another car on a curve farther up the road and for some reason stayed on the wrong side even though he had ample time to get back into his lane. Skidmarks from the Kuhlmann car showed for 97 feet investigators said, as Rev. Kuhlmann tried vainly tried to avoid the crash. As he remembers it, he must have slowed down to about 30 miles per hour but was still hit with such terrific impact by the other car that the vehicles telescoped.
King died about three hours after the crash.
Rev. Walter H. Dyck flew to Casper, Thursday, July 19, remaining there three days to complete arrangements for sending the bodies to Newton. Mrs. Erhard Schroeder, mother of Mrs. Helene Kuhlmann, two brothers, Edwin Schroeder and wife and Oscar Schroeder, all of Paso Robles, have gone to Casper by car and are now with the family there.
The passing of Mrs. Maria Kuhlmann is the first death among the adult children of the Jacob Dycks, a well known pioneer family at Elbing. She is survived by the sister, Mrs. Sam Fielder of Newton, and three brothers. Rev. H. J. Dyck, Herman Dyck and Frank Dyck, all of Elbing.
Rev. and Mrs. Ernst Kuhlmann were missionaries in China for over 30 years. Following their return to America after the war, they lived with their son Paul in Omaha, but, being a native of Germany, the elder Kuhlmann left for another visit to his homeland before returning to this country permanently.
Rev. Walter H. Dyck told of heart-touching expressions of sympathy and kindness received by the Rev. Paul Kuhlmanns from individuals and groups, and from the community of Casper. Their wide circle of friends wish for all a quick and complete recovery and God’s sustaining grace in their tragic bereavement.
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 Aug 9 p. 9
text of obituary:
DAVID EUGENE KUHLMANN
David Eugene Kuhlmann, son of Paul and Helene Kuhlmann, was born August 20, 1937, at Kweiteh, Hunan, China. He died at about 1:30 a.m., July 19, in Memorial Hospital at Casper, Wyoming, without regaining consciousness after an auto accident.
He had just finished grade school and was looking forward to future training. But the Lord had other plans.
It is a great comfort to the bereaved family that during a recent young people’s retreat David definitely dedicated his life to the Lord for missionary service. Since then, he took special delight in the study of the Word of God.
Although he cannot witness audibly for the Lord anymore, may this brief sketch be a farewell to all, who were near and dear to him. (Written by Grandfather Ernst Kuhlmann.)
Funeral services for Maria and David Kuhlmann were held Wednesday afternoon, July 25, 1951.
At 3:00 o’clock in the home of Rev. H. J. Dyck, Elbing, Scripture (John 14:1-6, 16-19, 27; Isaiah 66:-13; 2 Cor. 1:3-5), prayer and meditation were in charge of Rev. Eli Cook of the Missionary Church, The Zion male quartet sang, “Lebt Wohl.”
The following was the order of service at the Emmaus Mennonite church (4:00 o’clock); Processional, Edna R, Toevs - Lois Thiessen; invocation; Scripture lesson, prayer, Rev. Walter H. Dyck; mixed quartet, "Sometime We’ll Understand," Missionary Church; message, Rev. August Ewert, Omaha, Nebr.; Zion male quartet, ‘‘Be Still, My Soul;" meditation, Rev. Walter H. Dyck; message from Rev. Paul Kuhlmann and prayer; Grace mixed octet, "O Love That Will Not let Me Go."
At the Zion cemetery the Zion male quartet sang, "Peace, Perfect Peace." Rev. Walter H. Dyck led in the prayer of committal and benediction.
The following is the message from Rev. Paul Kuhlmann read at the church: "We wish to take this opportunity of expressing our deepest and heartfelt thanks to everyone who has stood by us in prayer and tangible help in our bereavement. Especially do we wish to acknowledge publicly the self-sacrificing service of our cousins, Walter and Dorothy Dyck, who gave up all considerations of personal comfort and interests to come to our side. May the Lord richly bless and reward everyone.
“Truly, ‘My ways are not your ways, nor my thoughts your thoughts, saith the Lord.’ But His ways are best; His thoughts our highest good. We leave all with Him. Especially are we glad for the years of fruitful service which mother has been allowed to complete; and for the personal testimony to the Lord and the stand for Him which David was permitted to take only about two weeks ago at Grace Bible Camp. We praise God for the blessed hope that one day we shall see each other and our precious Lord face to face.
"May this occasion today serve to impress upon both young and old the necessity of being ready to meet the Lord at any moment."
