Reimer, Catherine Amenda (1900-1958)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1958 Mar 20 p. 8

Birth date: 1900 Jan 14

text of obituary:

CATHERINE AMENDA REIMER

Our sister, Catherine Amenda Reimer, was born to Henry and Agatha Ediger Reimer on Jan. 14, 1900, near Corn, Okla. As a child she moved with her parents to Gladwin, Mich. and then to Collinsville, Okla. During these years she rendered appreciative help in the parental home.

At the age of 17 she accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and was baptized upon her confession of faith and received into th e Mennonite Brethren Church for fellowship. A year later she dedicated her life to the Lord and entered Tabor College to prepare herself for the mission field. In college she sang in the Ladies Glee Club and was an active member of the Mission Band.

After graduating from the Illinois School of Nursing, she was accepted as a missionary by the Mennonite Brethren Conference and soon thereafter left for India. Her seven-year term of hospital work in the mission field was shortened several months by the critical illness of her mother. She returned to care for her mother until she passed away. This was in 1938. Father preceded her in death in 1945.

After the death of mother, she entered the Bible Institute of Los Angeles and dedicated her life to the cause of child evangelism. To get some additional preparation for this work, she entered the Child Evangelism Institute of Dallas, Texas before returning to India. From her headquarters at Bangalore, South India, she organized classes among children and older people and had the joy of seeing many souls won for the Lord.

After she had labored in this field for a number of years her health began to fail. Finally, somewhat broken in health, she returned to the United States upon the advice of her business manager. In Los Angeles she regained her health enough so that she could do some nursing.

In February she wrote to us that she had changed her place of living because of illness. She quoted the following Scripture, “Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me.” In this same letter she wrote “I am so thankful for a heavenly home. I love you all.”

She was called Home about a week ago while she was all alone in her little apartment in Los Angeles. By all indications, she was kneeling at her open Bible when the sudden call came through a heart attack. We rejoice in the hope of seeing her again. She reached the age of 58 years, one months and about 10 days.

She leaves to mourn her passing five brothers and three sisters: Lena, Mrs. Reimer, Gladwin, Mich.; Henry E. Reimer, Detroit, Mich.; Isaac E. Reimer, Owasso, Okla.; Samuel Reimer, Santa Cruz, Calif.; Herbert A. Reimer, Harlingen, Texas; David E. Reimer of Cordell, Okla.; Mary, Mrs. Dyck, Salem, Oregon; Anna, Mrs. Seiler, Eureka, Calif.

Also surviving are three brothers-in-law, four sisters-in-law, a number of nephews and nieces, and a host of relatives and friends.

The funeral was held in the Reedley M. B. Church on March 3. Officiating were Rev. Dan Friesen and Rev. John E. Friesen, her former pastor in Los Angeles. — The Family.