Ratzlaff, Mary C. Becker (1879-1958)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1958 May 15 p. 3

Birth date: 1879 Nov 16

text of obituary:

. . .

— Funeral services were held May 7 at Meno, Okla. for Mrs. J. C. Ratzlaff, mother of Rev. Harold Ratzlaff, General Conference missionary to India. The Ratzlaffs are now on furlough and plan to return to India in June.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1958 Jun 12 p. 8

text of obituary:

MRS. MARY C. RATZLAFF

Mrs. Mary Becker Ratzlaff, daughter of Andrew B. Becker and Carolyn Richert Becker, was born at Moundridge, Kansas on Nov. 16, 1879. She departed this life peacefully, after a lingering illness, on Sunday evening, May 4, 1958, at the age of 78 years, five months and 18 days.

Her early childhood years were spent in Kansas. Her education consisted of rural school and attendance at the academy at Bethel College. She came to Oklahoma as a school teacher around the turn of the century, teaching school here for some time.

Having been reared in a Christian home she united with the Church at an early age. She was baptized upon the confession of her faith and received into the Canton Mennonite church at Canton, Kansas, later transferring her membership to the New Hopedale Mennonite Church at Meno, Okla.

On Feb. 24, 1901, she was united in marriage to Jacob C. Ratzlaff in the Canton Mennonite church. To this union three daughters and four sons were born. Two children, Alvina and Victor, and one grandchild, Harold Gene Ratzlaff, preceded her in death in infancy. In 1951 our parents were privileged to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.

The early days in Oklahoma were days of true pioneering. The first years of their married life were spent on the farm. About 44 years ago they moved to the location from which the Lord called her to her heavenly home.

Mother was always active in church and community life as long as health permitted. She served as a Sunday school teacher for many years. She took great interest in the work of the Oklahoma Bible Academy. For two years she and father served as house parents at the dormitory and for many years they opened their own home and boarded students. They always felt that O. B. A. was one of their mission fields. Many personal things were denied so as to have more to give for the work of the Lord.

Mother always looked for the best in others. This quality won for her many friends around the world. Her home was always open to visiting missionaries and ministers.

She took great delight in her family and did all in her power to make home a delightful place to which children, and later also the grandchildren loved to come. She found great joy in the fact that one of her sons, Harold, answered the call of God to become a missionary in India, and it was to her great delight that she could see him home on furlough once more.

Those who will miss her most are her children, Raymond and wife Margaret (Reimer) Ratzlaff of Wichita, Kansas, and their three children; Evelyn and husband, Harold Wiens of Pond Creek, Okla. and their two children; Harold and wife Ruth (Regier) Ratzlaff, home on furlough from India, and their daughter; Norman and wife, Helen (Janzen) Ratzlaff of Meno, Okla., and their two children; and Lillian and her husband, Rev. Levi Koehn of Turpin, Okla., and their daughter. Also surviving are two great-grandchildren, four sisters and four brothers.

Mother's life was characterized by the words of the Apostle Paul which he gave to us at the end of his life (II Timothy 4:7,8), "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge, shall give me at that day . . . ."

The Mennonite obituary: 1958 Jun 17 p. 383