Barkman, Matilda Stucky (1883-1966)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1966 Oct 27 p. 3

Date of Birth: 1883 Jan 4, Indiana
Date of Death: 1966 Oct 17, California

text of obituary:

Pioneer Missionary To Congo Dies

Berne, Ind. — Mrs. Tillie Barkman, 83, pioneer missionary to the Congo under the Congo Inland Mission and a native of this community, died Oct. 18 at a Fresno, Calif. nursing home. She had been ill for some time.

Mrs. Barkman, the former Tillie Stucky, was born here in 1893 [sic 1883]. She was married to John P. Barkman in 1914, and they first went to the Congo in 1916. They were the first missionaries of the Evangelical Mennonite Church here to go to Africa. They served there until retirement in 1945.

Mrs. Barkman is survived by her husband, one son, two grandchildren, and two sisters. Services were to be conducted at a Fresno funeral home on Oct. 20.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1966 Nov 24 p. 12

text of obituary:

MATILDA STUCKY BARKMAN

Matilda Stucky Barkman, daughter of Nicklaus and Elizabeth Augsburger Stucky, was born Jan. 4, 1883 near Berne, Ind., where she received her schooling and grew to womanhood. While still in her teens she felt the call to missionary work. When she was 20 years of age she accepted Christ as her Savior. A few days later she was baptized and became a member of the Evangelical Mennonite Church near Berne.

After taking a course in nursing she attended Moody Bible Institute and then was engaged in home mission work in Chicago. Suffering an attack of typhoid fever, she complied with doctor's orders and left Chicago for a year of rest after which she returned to work in the Mennonite Bible Mission with the late Bro. and Sister A. F. Wiens. In 1913 she entered Mary Thompson Hospital in Chicago for a special six months' course in preparation for further service.

On June 14, 1914, she was united in wedlock with John P. Barkman at the home of her parents in Berne. The first year of married life was spent in Evanston, Ill. where Mr. Barkman took a post-graduate course at Northwestern University. In the fall of 1915 she with her husband were accepted as missionary candidates to the Belgian Congo by the Congo Inland Mission. They sailed to this field in March 1916 and arrived at the Kalamba Station where most of their years of service were spent.

In 1918, their only child Samuel was born at Tshikapa, a distance of about 65 miles from their station where the only doctor then available was located.

After spending a year of furlough in America in the year 1919, it was deemed necessary to leave their only child Samuel, age 2, in America. The Mission Board did not consider it wise for children to be taken to the Congo because of the primitive living conditions. This was the biggest sacrifice they were called on to make in their many years of service.

Her service on the field consisted of dispensary work among the sick and suffering. She did much visitation among the women and girls, seeking to win the lost through personal work. She also taught Sunday school and in the day school when many of the older native pastors and their wives were learning their ABC's, thereby teaching them to read the Word of God for themselves and then to teach it to others.

Four terms of service were spent in the Congo and upon returning to America in 1945 they spent one year in deputation work in the United States and Canada. Their retirement years have been spent in central California and her most recent place of residence has been near Fresno. Suffering a paralytic stroke in 1962, she had been bedfast since that time, experiencing much pain and suffering.

On Oct. 18, 1966, she went to be with her Lord, having reached the age of 83 years, nine months and 15 days. She is survived by her husband, one son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel J. Barkman, and two grandchildren, all of Fresno.

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MLA Personal Photos Collection

Biographical note:
Berne, Indiana
Daughter of Nicklaus and Elizabeth (Augsberger) Stucky
Married John Peter Barkman 1914 June 14, Berne, Indiana
Missionary (Congo Inland Mission) -- Africa 1916-1945

Bethel alumni note:

Photo holdings:
See John Peter Barkman (1881-1967) for wedding photo

Sources:
Mennonite Weekly Review 11/24/1966 p. 12 obit
Grandma Profile 69877
Find A Grave 125919639