Holdeman, Elizabeth Ritter (1834-1932)

Revision as of 11:33, 22 January 2013

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1932 Apr 20 p. 4

Birth date: 1834 Mar 9

text of obituary:

. . .

— Funeral services for Elizabeth Ritter Holdeman were held at the Lonetree church at Moundridge Monday afternoon, April 11. The deceased reached the advanced age of 98 years.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1932 May 4 p. 3

Elizabeth (Ritter) Holdeman, wife of the late Bishop John Holdeman, was born in Lancaster county, Penn., March 9, 1934.

She passed away at the home of her son, A. R. Holdeman at Hutchinson, Kansas, April 9, 1932, at the ripe old age of 98 years and one month. At the age of 11 years she with her parents moved to Ohio, where she grew to womanhood. Here she united in marriage with John Holdeman of Wooster, Ohio, on November 18, 1852. This union was blessed with six children, three having passed away in their infancy. One daughter, Mrs. Cornelius Gnagy, with whom she lived after the death of her husband, passed away about five years ago. her husband became a preacher and also a bisop in the Church of God in Christ Mennonite and this called for a removal to Jasper county, Mo., where he established a church. later he lived near Moundridge, Kansas, where he passed away march 10, 1900. She resided with her children in Reno county, Kansas, the rest of her life.

Sister Holdeman was converted in her youth and united with the church in which her husband was minister, giving her occasion to learn the real meaning of self-denial. She was often left alone to care for the household, while her husband was away preaching the gospel. But her heart was with him in the service for the Master, working in her calling faithfully as the door opened and gladly suffering the privations connected with such work. But the Lord upheld her, and the Master's promise of "One Hundred-Fold" was not forgotten, nor the great reward to those who endure to the end.