Suderman, Mabel Wedel (1901-2002)

Newton Kansan obituary: 2002 Oct 28 p. 10

Birth date: 1901 Dec 21

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2002 Nov 11 p. 12

text of obituary:

MABEL W. SUDERMAN

Mabel Wedel Suderman, 100, of Parkside Homes in Hillsboro, Kan., died Oct. 26, 2002. She was born Dec. 21, 1901, to John and Nettie Jantz Wedel near Moundridge.

At age 3, she and her family moved to a farm in Marion County near Tampa. There she grew up and enjoyed farm life.

Her education included eight years at Bell Top School, two years at Hillsboro Bible Academy and two years at Bethel College Academy. She then taught in rural schools for four years.

On Aug. 11, 1926, she married John P. Suderman.

After her marriage, she continued her education at Bethel College. After a year teaching at Hillsboro Bible Academy with her husband, they responded to God's call through the mission board to serve as missionaries in Arizona among the Hopi Indians. Except for a 19-month leave of absence in 1944-45, when her husband served as interim pastor at First Mennonite Church in Berne, Ind., they spent 1930-47 in Kykotsmovi, Ariz.

They then served three congregations: Gospel Mennonite Church in Mountain Lake, Minn., 1947-54; St. John Mennonite Church in Pandora, Ohio, 1954-61; and Glendale Mennonite Church in Lynden, Wash., 1961-67.

She enjoyed hosting family, visiting speakers and missionaries in their home. Her gifts as a Bible teacher were used in many settings.

They spent 12 years in retirement at Winona Lake, Ind. They continued to serve the Lord in children's camps and spent five months in an interim missionary assignment in Mississippi.

After her husband died in 1979, she moved back to Hillsboro in 1981.

Survivors include two children, John Mark and his wife, Alice, of North Newton, and Edith Elsie Dougherty and her husband, John, of Oneonta, N.Y.; a brother, Nathan Wedel; six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John; two sisters, Ida and Sadie; a brother, Waldo; and a grandson, David Dougherty.