Heidebrecht, Maria M. Gaeddert (1863-1956)

Revision as of 15:36, 13 December 2016

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Aug 9 p. 6

Birth date: 1863 Dec 23

text of obituary:

. . .

— Mrs. Marie Heidebrecht, pioneer immigrant from Russia and one of the early-day Mennonite settlers at Buhler, died last Friday at the Bethesda Hospital in Goessel. Funeral services were held Tuesday forenoon at the Hoffnungsau church near Inman. Mrs. Heidebrecht was born in Russia in 1864 and came to this country at the age of 11. her husband, P. G. Heidebrecht of Newton is one of seven surviving children. She also leaves grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Aug 23 p. 8

text of obituary:

Maria M. Heidebrecht, the oldest daughter of Rev. Dietrich and Maria Gaeddert, was born in South Russia in the village of Furerstenwerder [sic Fuerstenwerder] on eDc. [sic] 23, 1863. She came to America with her parents in the migration of 1874 and settled in Reno County, Kansas, a few miles east of Buhler. Here she grew to womanhood and shared the ups and downs of pioneer life. Here also, she received her limited education,. Her mother died in 1878, and she had to help with the family work. Although her general education was very limited, many admired her knowledge of Bible verses and religious songs that she had memorized as a girl.

On Sept. 16, 1883, she was baptized by her father and accepted as a member in the Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church of which her father was the founder. She loved her church and remained a faithful member of this church until her death, an enviable span of nearly 73 years.

She united in marriage with Peter G. Heidebrecht on March 11, 1884. He preceded her in death Feb. 29, 1940. They were permitted to share joys and sorrows for nearly 56 years. Their marriage was blessed with seven children who all survive. They are John J. and wife, Margaret, of McPherson; Dietrich M. and wife, Agatha, of Dallas, Oregon; Jacob A. and wife, Anna, of Newton; Lizzie and husband Henry A. Woelk, of Goessel;