Shellenberger, Vernon Edmond (1893-1944)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1944 Feb 17 p. 3

Birth date: 1893 Nov 5

text of obituary:

VERNON EDMOND SHELLENBERGER

Vernon Edmond Shellenberger, son of Amos and Alice (Gibboney) Shellenberger, was born Nov. 5, 1893, near Bradford, Ohio. At about two years of age he was placed in the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. V. Fortner at Dakota, Ill., to whom he was affectionately devoted.

He graduated from the Hesston Academy, Hesston, Kansas, in 1917.

On Feb. 4, 1920, Vernon was married to Grace Irene King of Hesston; they came to Wichita in 1921. His occupation was plumbing and he was a member of the Master Plumber's Association.

He served as deacon, superintendent of the Sunday School and church board member of the Woodland Mennonite Church until 1937. For the past five years he has been an active member of the First Church of the Nazarene, where he has served as superintendent of the Sunday School and church board member.

It was a great shock when the doctor told us in the early summer of 1942 that Vernon's troublesome head symptoms were caused by a deep seated cancerous growth in the head. From the very first we were given to understand that there seemed to be no hope for recovery from the human point of view. We lifted our hearts to God, claiming His healing power and he was anointed with oil in the name of the Lord. Prayer went up in his behalf from the many believing hearts and God granted us special favor in so far that the cancerous growth in the head was completely arrested by means of X-ray treatments. We are very grateful and trusted God for further help and healing.

However, the lymphatic system had already absorbed and carried the cancer cells throughout his body and we had to face the fact that the last enemy, death has not yet been observed. Vernon had a great desire to live and was anxious to serve the Lord ever more faithfully to the best of his ability. But when the doctors told him that they could do no more, his testimony of quiet surrender to God's will and implicit faith in Him for time and eternity seemed to make a deep impression on them. And so, as we had "Built our faith on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness", we now had to learn "when darkness hides His lovely face to rest on his unchanging Grace."

It has been a time of severe testing but he has received strength not only to bear his suffering with Christian fortitude, but to encourage and comfort us by his trust in God and quiet surrender to His will.

On the evening of February 4, 1944, on our 24th wedding anniversary, he peacefully fell asleep in Jesus, aged 50 years, 2 months and 29 days.

Survivors are his wife, Mrs. Grace (King) Shellenberger; Elfrieda, instructor in the high school at Derby, Kansas; Mrs. Forest W. Nash, Blytheville, Ark.; Elmber B. [sic Elmer B.], Navy V-12 Unit, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.; and Robert D. of the home. Three half-sisters, one half brother; foster parents; four foster-sisters and one foster-brother.

He was preceded in death by two children, Almon (twin to Elmer) and Thelma Irene, both of whom died at the age of two years.

Funeral services were held on Monday, February 7, 1944. A brief service was held at the family home for the immediate relatived [sic] which was followed by funeral services at 2:00 P.M. at the Church of the Nazarene in Wichita, Kansas, with Rev. P. J. Bartram officiating at both services. A mixed octet from the church choir sang "It is Well With My Soul" and "My Home, Sweet Home." A. E. Raniquist of Kansas City sang as a solo, "Saved By Grace." Pallbearers were: W. I. Cobb, Frank Poslick, George Adkisson, A. L. Thayer, Henry S. Brandt and G. B. Govitz. The front of the church was banked with beautiful flowers and the auditorium of the church was filled to overflowing by his many friends who came to pay their last tribute of respect to his fine Christian character.

Burial services were held at the family lot in the Pennsylvania cemetery, near Zimmerdale, Kansas, at 4:30 P.M. with Re.v Bartram and Rev. Earl Buckwalter taking part in the services. A ladies' trio sang, "Thy Will Not Mine' and a mixed quartet sang "The Christin's good Nigh." Burial was made in the family lot by Rex M. Moody of the Moody's Funeral Home of newton, Kansas.