Toevs, Maria Schroeder (1883-1933)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1933 Jan 17 p. 13

Birth date: 1883 Apr 22

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1933 Jan 18 p. 2

text of obituary:

Mrs. G. R. Toevs

Funeral services for Mrs. G. R. Toevs, who passed away Tuesday, January 3, were held at the First Mennonite church on East First street, Newton, Friday afternoon, January 5, attended by a large number of relatives and friends. Rev. A. Warkentin and Rev. E. G. Kaufman officiated at the service and music was furnished by a mixed quartet composed of Mrs. E. J. Linscheid, Miss Mollie Becker, Mrs. G. D. Classen, Mrs. Anna Neufeld, H. J. Andres, Herman Jantzen, Albert Ewert, and Paul Enz, accompanied by Misses Ann Suderman and Mary Andres.

The pall bearers were Jake Toevs, Herman Ensz, W. W. Toevs, Gus Andres, Herbert Stucky, and Gus Schroeder. Interment was in Greenwood cemetery.

The following obituary of Mrs. Toevs was read:

It has pleased our heavenly Father to take from us our dearly beloved wife and mother, Mary Toevs, nee Schroeder, and to call her through death into the heavenly home.

She was born on April 22, 1883, as the oldest daughter of David D. Schroeder and Anna Schroeder, nee Voth. Her youth was spent in Gnadenberg, east of Newton, the place of her birth.

She was baptized upon confession of her faith that Jesus Christ was her personal savior, by the Rev. G. N. Harms, minister of the Gnadenberg church. This faith has been a source of her strength to her through her whole life.

On September 11, 1902, she was married to Gustav R. Toevs of Newton. The couple made Newton their home and here she became a member of the First Mennonite church. They were blessed with two children, a daughter and a son.

It has always been her greatest desire to do good to others and to strive for peace, and to assist in every worthy cause.

She was an active member in the Sunday school, the Mission sewing society, and the Bethel Ladies’ auxiliary, in which she took a good interest.

Above all, she was to us a good wife and loving mother and we will always remember her untiring efforts to carry out the principles of sincere Christian hospitality.

She had undergone two major operations several years ago but recovered sufficiently to continue her life’s duties.

On Tuesday, December 27, 1932, she became very ill and was later taken to the hospital for an emergency operation performed on Friday, December 30. Her condition became more serious and on Tuesday, January 3, 1933, at 8:55 o’clock a. m. she slumbered away peacefully to awaken in that everlasting home beyond, having reached the age of 49 years, eight months and eleven days.

The departed leaves to mourn her death, her husband G. R. Toevs, her two children, Esther Toevs Bartsch and Irvin Toevs, her aged parents, David D. Schroeder and Anna Schroeder, five sisters: Mrs. W. W. Toevs of Wichita, Mrs. G. H. Andres and Mrs. E. J. Claassen of Newton, Mrs. Herbert Aldrich of Hollywood, Calif., and Mrs. Herbert Stucky of Moundridge, and three brothers: Herman Schroeder of Los Angeles and G. D. Schroeder and Adolph Schroeder of Newton, and many relatives and friends.

We grieve, but not as those who have no hope, for “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them.”