Suderman, Elda Ruth Ensz (1925-2004)

Revision as of 16:24, 4 January 2011

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2004 May 10 p. 12

Birth date: 1925 Feb 11

text of obituary:

Esther Ruth Ensz Suderman, 79, of Hillsboro, Kan., died April 21, 2004, after a 12-day hospitalization at Newton Medical Center. She was born Feb. 11, 1925, to John and Sara (Schmidt) Ensz in Visalia, Calif.

She was baptized at age 14 at First Mennonite Church of Reedley, Calif.

She graduated from Visalia High School in 1942, attended Bethel College in North Newton for two years and graduated from Fresno (Calif.) State College in 1946. She then taught school for six years in Oildale, Arvin and Oakland, Calif.

She spent the summer of 1948 in Rosthern, Sask., as part of a Mennonite Voluntary Service team. In 1950 she traveled to Europe, and while in Germany met Paul Suderman, who was co-director of a Mennonite Central Committee camp that built homes for refugees. They were married April 5, 1952, in Reedley. They lived in the Hillsboro area. Since 1960 they lived on the Suderman home place farm.

She taught for one year at Hillsboro Elementary School. In 1965 she began work with the Kansas Social and Rehabilitation Services as a foster care and adoption social worker. She felt that she was a partner with God in placing children in adoptive homes. She retired in 1985.

Being part of Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church and the larger church body was important to her. She served as a Sunday school teacher for children and adults. She was church librarian and served with her husband as a deacon couple. They were active with MCC and Mennonite Disaster Service. In 1979 they took a trip to Europe, India, Bangladesh, Japan and Hawaii. Other trips involved service opportunities with MDS.

Survivors include her husband of 52 years, Paul; four children, Greg and his wife, Beth, of Elkhart, Ind., Dena Braun and her husband, Ron, of North Newton, Barry and his wife, Elaine, of Tulsa, Okla., and Ronda King and her husband, Nick, of Mexico City; three sisters, Marianna Habegger of Reedley, Adeline Sprunger of Canton, Okla., and Norma Jones of Greenview, Calif; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Elmer and Harold.

Services were held at Ebenfeld MB Church of Hillsboro.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2004 May 17 p. 12