Neufeld, Maria Wall (1880-1956)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Mar 15 p. 8

Birth date: 1880 Feb. 5

text of obituary:

MRS. JOHN NEUFELD

Mrs. Maria Wall Neufeld, daughter of John M. and Elizabeth Lorentz Wall, was born Feb. 5,1880 in Harvey County, Kansas, several miles southwest of Moundridge. She was born and raised on the farm home of her parents. She attended the local Berlin public school where she received what formal education she was privileged to have.

With her parents she attended the Hebron Mennonite Church and here she learned to know Christ, whom she accepted as her personal Saviour and Lord. She was baptized on August 13, 1899, upon her confession of faith by Elder Bernhard Buhler, and became a member of the Hebron Church, where she remained a faithful member until her departure.

On Sept. 27, 1936, she was united in marriage to her now bereaved husband, John Neufeld, by Rev. J. M. Regier. Through this union Mrs. Neufeld took upon herself the joys and responsibilities of being a loving companion to Mr. Neufeld, whose first wife had died, and a devoted step-mother to seven children, four boys and three girls.

Mr. and Mrs. Neufeld made their home in Moundridge after their marriage and lived there until April of 1954 when Mrs. Neufeld became seriously ill and was taken to the Bethel Deaconess Hospital at Newton. Following her convalescence in the hospital she and Mr. Neufeld made their home at the Bethel Home for the Aged where they lived until her death, almost two years later.

She had always enjoyed the beauties of God's nature and particularly flowers which she loved and joyously cared for in her gardens. The last few years of her life were difficult years with increasingly poor health and times of pain and suffering. About a month and a half ago she was readmitted to the Bethel Deaconess Hospital and although there seemed to be some relief for her it was short lived. She returned to the Home for the Aged and on Saturday evening, March 25,1956, at about 7:55 p. m. her suffering ceased and she passed on to her eternal home. For her, death was not a thing to be feared. In having devotions with her she mentioned several times that she was patiently waiting for death because the joys of this life had faded away. She was waiting to be with Christ. She reached the age of 76 years and 20 days.

She leaves to mourn her bereaved husband, John Neufeld; four step-sons, John E. of Moundridge, Albert of Hanston, Ferd of Burrton, and Raymond of Hesston; two step-daughters, Bertha of Moundridge and Emma (Mrs. Harry Rutschman) of Hesston; 17 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Her parents and one step-daughter, Lizzie; three brothers, John, Pete, and Jake; and three sisters, Elizabeth, Anna and Margaret, preceded her in death. She is survived by a brother, C. L. Wall of Burrton, and a sister, Mrs. Katherine Braeul of Buhler, besides a host of other relatives and friends.