Zehr, Edmund Peter (1922-1957)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Mar 14 p. 1

Birth date: 1922 Mar 30

text of obituary:

Hospital Administrator Called Away in Death

EDMUND P. ZEHR, 34, OF BEATRICE, NEB. DIES AFTER HEART ATTACK

Batrice [sic Beatrice], Neb. — Funeral services were conducted at the First Mennonite Church of Beatrice March 4 for Edmund P. Zehr, 34, administrator of the Mennonite Deaconess Home and Hospital who died Saturday, March 2, after suffering a heat attack the preceding Wednesday.

The services were in charge of Rev. Harold W. Buller, the pastor, and Rev. Ralph Weber, pastor of the Beatrice Mennonite Church. The body was sent to Gridley, Ill. where final services and burial took place at the Waldo Menonite Church.

Mr. Zehr's unexpected death came as the new hospital here is nearing completion. Administrator here for the past seven years, he had worked on the project from the beginning. A graduate of Bluffton College and the University of Michigan, where he received a master's degree in public health, he also served for two years among the Mennonites in Paraguay.

Surviving are his wife, Miriam, and three children; his parents, Mr. and mrs. Edward Zehr of Gridley; two sisters and four brothers.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Mar 28 p. 8

text of obituary

EDMUND P. ZEHR

Edmund Peter Zehr, son of Edward and Louella Zehr, was born March 30, 1922, near Gridley, Ill., and departed this life March 2, 1957, at the Mennonite Hospital in Beatrice, Neb. at the age of 34 years, 11 months, and two days. The immediate cause of death was a heart ailment.

On Sept. 2, 191, he was united in marriage with Miriam Kuhns at La Junta, Colo. He is survived by his wife and three children, Edward Allen, age 4 ½, Clark Daniel, age 2 ½, and Mary Evelyn, nine months; his parents, Edward and Louella Zehr of Gridley, Ill.; four brothers, Donald, Howard, and Marvin of Gridley, Ill., and Orlyn of Newton, Kansas; two sisters, Leola (Mrs. Vernon Flaming) of Inman, Kansas, and Marilyn (Mrs. Junior Yordy) of Flanagan, Ill. One sister, Evelyn Ruth, preceded him in death in infancy.

He accepted Christ in his youth and became a member of the Mennonite Church. His entire life was dedicated to Christian service. After graduation from Bluffton college in 1944, he spent two and one half years in Civilian Public Service at Grottoes, Virginia and Mulberry, Florida. Upon completion of his term of service he felt the need to be a more positive witness and offered himself for foreign relief work. He was sent to Paraguay where he served for two years among the Mennonite refugees, helping in much of the administrative duties of the colonies, and was in charge of the hospital laboratory and the training of refugee assistants.

He returned home in 1948, and after helping his father on the farm for a year, he entered the University of Michigan where he received the degree of Master of Public Health.

He felt a definite call to full time Christian service and was led to accept the position of administrator at the Mennonite hospital in Beatrice, which he held until the time of his death. In this work he felt the complete joy of serving the Lord.

Bro. Zehr was a member of the (Old) Mennonite Church. While in Beatrice, he and his family attended the First Mennonite church of Beatrice, where funeral services were conducted March 4 by Rev. Harold Buller, the pastor, and Rev. Ralph Weber. Final services and burial took place at the Waldo church, Flanagan, Ill.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Apr 11 p. 8

text of obituary:

EDMUND P. ZEHR

(Editor's Note: The following paragraphs were to be included in the obituary of Mr. Zehr, which appeared in the Review last week. The former administrator of the Mennonite Hospital at Beatrice, Neb. died March 2,1957. The last paragraph provides a correction in the location of the final services.)

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Edmund's seven years of service in Beatrice was used of God to bring to realization the dream of a community, and the fulfillment of a personal dedication. this was accomplished by the planning and erection of an entirely new hospital plant, even though faced with almost impossible complications. Only God knows the deep faith that was essential to daily follow god's guiding hand in this project. Almost all of the building was completed and equipment ordered before his death, and dedication was planned for June.

We, as a family, like to feel that God brought this work to perfection in Edmund's lifetime by calling him Home before the inevitable imperfections of a building program were known to him. His life might be pictured in these two Bible verses, "The Lord is my strength and my shield" (Psalms 28:7) and "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw night to you" (James 4:8).

Funeral services were held in the First Mennonite Church, Beatrice, Neb., with Rev. Harold Buller and Rev. Ralph Weber in charge. A further service was held in the Meadows Mennonite Church, Meadows, Ill., with Rev. Jacob Friesen of Bluffton, Ohio in charge, assisted by Rev. Lotus Troyer and Rev. Emanuel Ulrich. Interment was in Waldo cemetery, Gridley, Ill.

The Mennonite obituary: 1957 Apr 16 p. 253