Rudiger, Anna Richert Unruh (1853-1933)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1933 Mar 15 p. 4

Birth date: 1853 Sep 12

text of obituary:

Mrs. Andrew Rudiger

Sister Andrew Rudiger, nee Anna Richert, daughter of Peter and Helena (Jantz) Richert, was born September 12, 1853, in South Russia in the village of Antonofka. She was baptized upon her confession of faith in Christ Jesus on June 7, 1868, by Elder Tobias Unruh and joined the Karobswalda [sic Karolswalde] Mennonite Church.

In the year 1874, during the great emigration to America, she with her parents and family came to America as a grown daughter. They settled on section 23, Lone Tree township, McPherson county, Kansas.

In the fall of 1874 she was united in holy matrimony with John H. Unruh, who passed away in spring, 1882, leaving her a young widow. This union was blessed with four children: Mrs. Elizabeth Schultz; Jacob J. Unruh, and Mrs. Susie Schultz, all of Great Bend or Pawnee Rock, Kansas; and Cornelius J. Unruh of Springdale, Arkansas. She remained with her little flock on her small farm and on March 5, 1885, was again married to Andrew Rudiger. This union was blessed with eight children: Mrs. Helena Heer, Green, Kans.; Mrs. Carrie Nickell, Hesston, Kansas: Obed Rudiger, Greensburg; Frank Rudiger, Mrs. Anna Koehn, and Joe Rudiger, all of Galva; Mary at home and John, who died in infancy. On a farm six miles north and one-half mile east of Moundridge she spent 56 years of her life, sharing joy and sorrow with her family. Through industry and economy they had their own home. Anna, and her husband, H. H. Koehn and family lived with them the last two years, helping to care for Mrs. Rudiger, who had a stroke of apoplexy on June 26, 1930, which left her almost speechless for the rest of her days. Since that time her strength gradually failed. She was bedfast since December 6, 1932, and suffered much for the last ten days until she passed away at about two o'clock Sunday afternoon, March 5, 1933.

She had the blessed assurance of salvation through Christ Jesus. She was a sincere Christian and remained a true member of the Canton (now Emmanuel) Mennonite church, sharing the blessings and lending her support since it was organized.

Besides her loving husband, 11 children, 50 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, 4 sisters, and a host of relatives and friends remain.

Funeral services were held on March 8, at the Emmanuel church. At the home Rev. J. J. Ratzlaff, minster of the church, served with the Word from 2. Cor. 5. 1 - 10 and offered prayer. At the church he read Isaiah 53 and led in the invocation and preached in German on the text from Rom. 8 - 18, 28-39. Rev. J. H. Epp, Hillsboro, preached in the English language from Psalms 116. 15 and concluded with prayer and benediction. at the cemetery Rev. Phil. A. Wedel, from the Eden church, served at the grave with a text from Genesis 25, 8, 9 and conducted the committal service.

A number of relatives and friends had come from Great Bend and Pawnee Rock, Kansas, and from Friedental, Tampa, Kansas, to show their respect for the deceased. One of her sister, also in her eighties and quite sickly, Mrs. Cornelius Wedel , Moundridge, could come to the home and two other sisters, Mrs. P. C. Wedel and Mrs. Ben Boese, Tampa who is 85 years old attended to show their respects.

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