Engle, Kathryn Lucille Byer (1903-1945)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1945 Dec 6 p. 4

Birth date: 1903 Jul 2

text of obituary:

In Memory of A Devoted Friend And Faithful Missionary

MRS. KATHRYN ENGLE CALLED AWAY IN DEATH, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Tribute by Erma Miller Erb, Wellman, Ia.

Kathryn Lucille Engle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Byer, was born at Glendale, Arizona, on July 2, 1903. Her parents moved to California when she was about five years old.

At the age of 17, while attending Beulah College, she gave her heart to the Lord and united with the Brethren in Christ church, of which she remained a consistent member and servant as long as the choice was hers to make.

On Nov. 23, 1922, she was united in marriage to Charles Engle, son of Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Engle of Upland, California. To them god gave four children, three daughter, Ardys, Mary Lou and Phyllis; and one son, Wayne Norman.

She, with her husband, heard and answered the call of God to full-time service. Leaving their comfortable home for which they had worked together and in which their oldest daughter was born, they gave themselves to the church accepting whatsoever was to be offered at the time.

Ordained as Missionaries

They were ordained as missionaries by Bishops C. C. Burholder [sic Burkholder] and J. H. Wagaman at the General Conference of 1926, at Fairland, Penna. During that summer they were in tent meetings in Canada and in that September took charge of a mission station at Mooretown, Mich. At the conference or 1927 they felt constrained to give and did give themselves to the Foreign Mission Board for India. They continued at their home mission station until the spring of 1928 while they waited for the door to open to the foreign mission field.

Service in India

The year 1929 found them on their way to India. They were stationed at Saharsa. The first appointment of Mr. Engle was to take charge of the Widows' Home. Later they were stationed at Supaul, where together they supervised the Boys' Orphanage. In 1935 they returned to Saharsa and she took charge of the Widows' Home after the death of Sister Foote, the work of the dispensary, evangelism, Girls' Orphanage all rested upon the shoulders of Bro. and Sis. Engle and Sister Gayman.

In 1937 they came home on furlough. It was during this time that their son was given to them for his very brief stay. The other two daughters were born in India.

They returned to the mission field in 1939, leaving their eldest daughter, Ardys, age 14, with friends in the homeland. They were stationed at Mudhipura, where Sister Engle had charge of the Bible women's work until in 1942 the dangers attending the political unrest in India made it advisable for her and the two daughters to return to the United States.

This separation from her husband was not pleasant but she accepted it nobly and bore it bravely, knowing that her husband was needed in God's service in India. Again they committed all things unto their heavenly Father who had not failed them thus far.

Service at Home

The same zeal for God, passion for the cause of missions and faithfulness as a servant of the church was manifest at home that had been demonstrated on the mission field. During this time she spoke more than 40 times to various church groups and organizations. She served as president of the Missionary Prayer Circle. Her soul burden for missions lent inspiration to those who knew her in this capacity. Her heart pulsated with India's suffering millions.

She caused others to sense this same need. Her chief burden was that some one, some young couple would hear the call of God that they might be sent to the Santals, an aboriginal tribe of India who were dying without Christ. She also served as superintendent of the primary department at Upland. Wherever she placed her hands she left an imprint for God and good. Only failing health, which made it impossible for her to continue, could cause her to lay down her labors for her Lord.

Serious Illness

On April 24, 1945, after a most serious attack, the cause of which the doctors were not then able to determine, she was taken to the hospital and a few days later a cablegram was dispatched to her husband informing him of the seriousness of her condition. He was unable to secure passage before July 5. While we waited, much prayer was offered in her behalf. He came on August 7 and had about one month of renews fellowship with his family.

But her health did not renew. She had much suffering and on Sept. 6 was finally taken to St. Vincent's Hospital in Los Angeles for obeservation [sic] with a vague possibility that a brain tumor, which was rapidly developing, might be removed. On Sept. 1 an operation was performed but even the most skilled surgery could not be applied effectively to her case.

She did not recover consciousness but lived in a semi-conscious state for about seven weeks longer. During this time her devoted husband remained by her side almost constantly. She would talk much and even sing in Hindi language. Her mind was still carrying on the work she loved — Missions and the Sunday School. She left us as she lived, still serving the Chris to whom she had given her heart and life.

On Tuesday, Nov. 6, she was promoted to the glory world from San Antonio Hospital, there to enter the joys of the Lord she so sincerely loved and to hear from His lips "Well done . . . thou hast been faithful . . ." She had lived 42 years, 4 months and 4 days.

Life and Inspiration

Her parents, one brother, Lewis B. Byer, and her infant son having preceded her in death, she leaves to rejoice in her homegoing, a devoted husband and three daughters who will miss her kind, motherly concern and care most keenly. She leaves also one sister, Mrs. R. C. Lehman of Glendale, Ariz.; two brothers H. R. Byer of Long Beach and J. P. Byer of El Centro, California, besides a host of relatives and friends both here and in India. She has, in the words of Bishop A. D. M dick (Superintendent of the India Mission field) "left nothing behind which calls for any regret or sorrow" and her life story is an inspiration even to those who do not know her.