Roh, Katie (1861-1960)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1960 Feb 25 p. 5

Birth date: 1861 Feb 22

text of obituary:

OLDEST MEMBER — Shown here visiting with Mrs. Katie Roh, oldest member of the Prairie Street Mennonite church at Elkhart, Ind., are Rev. Howard J. Zehr, pastor of the church, and son Jonathan. Mrs. Roh planned to observe her 99th birthday on Feb. 22. The photo was taken last year on her 98th birthday.

Member of Elkhart Church Reaches 99th Milestone

MRS. KATIE ROH WAS BORN IN HENRY COUNTY, IOWA IN 1861

Elkhart, Ind. — Mrs. Katie Roh, oldest member of the Prairie Street Mennonite congregation here, observed her 99th birthday anniversary on Feb. 22.

Mrs. Roh resides with her son, Willard, at the home on West Indiana Ave. in Elkhart where she has lived since 1924. Her hearing is poor and she no longer sees well enough to read, but is still able to be up and around.

Born in Henry county, Iowa in 1861, Mrs. Roh spent five years as a girl in Canada, her father having moved the family there because he was conscientiously opposed to taking part in the Civil War.

The family then moved to northern Indiana, settling near the Forks Mennonite church. In 1883 she was married to John Roh, a wagon and buggy maker. He died in 1931.

In younger years Mrs. Roh was an expert seamstress, and enjoyed knitting, crocheting, embroidering and making quilts. She also liked to read, and read the Bible through a number of times.

Of her six children, only two survive. They are her son and a daughter, Mrs. Oscar, who lives across the street.