Regier, Emelie Wiebe (1872-1944)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1944 Dec 19 p. 15

Birth date: 1872

text of obituary:

Frau Emilie Wiebe Regier. Am 18. November gefiel es dem Herrn über Leben und Tod die geliebte Mutter zu sich zu nehmen. Sie starb, wie sie sich das oft gewünscht, nach kurzem Krankenlager. Vor der Operation sagte sie, sie sei des Lebens noch nicht müde, aber sei bereit zu gehen; und war bei klarem Bewußtsein bis ans Ende. Am letzten Morgen verlangte sie noch, daß man ein Teil von Johannes 14 vorlesen möchte. Sie wurde 1872 zu Gurken, Westpreussen in die Familie Jakob Wiebe geboren. Dort ward sie auch von Aelt. Heinrich Penner auf den Glauben getauft und Glied der Mennonitengemeinde. 1890 kam die Heimgerufene mit Eltern nach Kansas und 1893 heiratete sie John Regier. Aelt. Leonhard Suderman hatte Matth. 6:33 zum Trautext. Der Text war ihr Lebensmotto, den sie auf ihre bescheidene Weise in Heim und sonst suchte auszuleben und ihren Kindern den Weg des Heils zu zeigen. In ihrer Kindheit wurden die Geschichten der hl. Schrift fast ein Teil von ihr. Ihr Einfluß machte sich auch geltend bei ihren Großkindern, besonders im Leben ihrer verwaisten Großtochter, welcher sie eine zweite Mutter war. Lebhaft interessierte sie sich für ihre Kinder und deren Schularbeit. Die Schwiegertöchter fanden in ihr eine zweite Mutter. Ihre Interesse erstreckte sich über das Heim hinaus. Seit vielen Jahren und bis kurz vor ihrem Abscheiden wirkte sie in der Sonntagsschule. Das Bethel Hospital, Bethel College, sowie die Aeußere Mission, hatten einen prominenten Platz in ihrem Denken und ihre Unterstützung nach besten Kräften. Ein großes Ereignis im Leben war ihre goldene Hochzeit am 26. Okt., 1943 und im verflossenen Jahr durchlebte sie es immer wieder. Sie brachte ihr Leben auf 72 J. und 1 Monat, und hinterläßt ihren Gatten, 2 Söhne: Hans und Alfred bei Whitewater, Kansas; 4 Töchter: Marie Missionarin in China; Charlotte, beim MCC in Akron, Pa.; Margaret, Lehrerin in Whitewater; und Minna, Studentin in Bethel College; dazu 1 Schwiegertochter, Frau Alfred Regier und 4 Enkel; auch 4 Brüder: Gerhard, John und Herman bei Whitewater, und Alfred bei Upland, Calif.; dazu 3 Schwestern: Frau Marie Dyck, und Frau B. W. Harder, Whitewater, und Elise Wiebe von Newton, und viele Freunde. Eine Tochter starb als Kind. Ihre Erinnerung bleibt in Segen (2. Tim. 4:7 - 8). Worte des Trostes sprachen im Hause, ihre Bruder Alfred Wiebe, und in der Kirche ihr Prediger J. C. Kaufman, Beerdigung fand auf dem Friedhof der Emmaus Gemeinde unterstützt von Pred. Lester Hostetler, N. Newton. Die Beerdigung fand auf dem Friedhof der Emmaus Gemeinde bei Whitewater statt unter Leitung ihres Schwagers, Aelt. B. W. Harder.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1944 Nov 23 p. 5

text of obituary:

Newton And Vicinity

. . .

— At the Emmaus church near Whitewater, funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon for Mrs. John Regier, who died Saturday evening at the Bethel Deaconess Hospital. The services were conducted by Rev. J. C. Kaufman, pastor of the Emmaus church, and Rev. Lester Hostetler of the Bethel College congregation. Mrs. Regier and her husband, who is a widely known farmer and stockman of the Whitewater neighborhood, were married Oct. 26, 1893, and have lived there through all the years of their married life. She has reached the age of 73 years. Surviving to mourn her death are her husband and the following sons and daughters: Hans E. and Alfred H. Regier, both of Whitewater; Marie J., who is in a Japanese internment camp somewhere in China; Charlotte L., with the Mennonite Central Committee in Akron, Pa., Margaret L., Wichita, and Minna D., a student at Bethel College.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1944 Dec 21 p. 3

text of obituary:

EMELIE WIEBE REGIER

On Saturday evening, November 18, at 6 o'clock, Emelie Regier of Whitewater, Kansas, passed away very suddenly. She passed away in the manner in which she had repeatedly expressed her desire to go after she knew of her condition; though she remarked before her operation that she was not tired of life yet but was ready to go. She retained full consciousness and comparative alertness to the last.

The passage she asked to have read to her the last morning was a portion of John 14.

In 1890 at the age of eighteen, she came to America with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Wiebe, from Gurken, West Prussia, Germany, where she was born in 1872. In 1888 she joined the Mennonite church there and was bapized {sic] by Rev. Henry Penner, who gave her as a guide through life the words found in Hebrew 12:90. She lived to be seventy-two years and one month.

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33) which was the text used at her wedding in 1893 by Rev. Leonard Suderman, was carried out in her unassuming manner in her home. She had no greater desire than to show her children the "Way". In their childhood the Bible stories were very familiar to them because of her telling them. As the children grew older she was vitally interest ed in their studies and work. She showed this same interest in her grandchildren, one of whom was motherless.

Her interests also reached beyond the home. For many years, up to a month before her death, she taught a Sunday School class. The Bethel Deaconess Hospital, Bethel College, and Foreign Missions held an important place in her thinking.

An outstanding event in her life was the golden wedding anniversary celebrated on October 26, 1943. This anniversary was relived in her mind many times during the past year. This reliving included an appreciation toward all those who had a part in the celebration.

Mother leaves to carry on for what she lived: her deeply bereaved husband, John Regier of Whitewater, two sons, Hans and Alfred of Whitewater; four daughters, Marie who is serving as a missionary in China, Charlotte with the Mennonite Central Committee in Pennsylvania; Margaret, teaching near Wichita, and Minna a student at Bethel College; one daughter-in-law, Mrs. Alfred Regier; four grandchildren; four brothers, Gerhard, John and Herman of Whitewater and Alfred of Upland, Calif.; three sisters, Mrs. Marie Dyck and Mrs. Rev. B. W. harder of Whitewater and Elsie Weibe of Newton and many relatives and friends whose hearts her life has touched.

One daughter, who died in infancy, one daughter-in-law, three sisters and one brother were already in that Home to welcome her. She is gone but her memory still remains. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." II Timothy 4:7, 8.

Funeral services were conducted in the home by her brother, former missionary. Rev. Alfred Wiebe of Upland, California. In the church her pastor, Rev. J. C. Kaufman assisted by Rev. Hostetler of newton, had the services and at the grave her brother-in-law, Rev. B. W. Harder officiated.