Kempf, Barbara (1847-1948)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1948 Nov 25 p. 1

Birth date: 1847 Jan 28

text of obituary:

Oldest Resident of Iowa Community Passes at Age 101

MRS. BARBARA KEMPF OF KALONA LEAVES LARGE FAMILY OF DESCENDANTS

by Erma Miller Erb

Kalona, Iowa, — The oldest member of this large community passed away when Mrs. Barbara Kempt died at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim Hershberger of Kalona, Thursday noon, Nov. 18, at the age of 101 years nine months and 20 days.

She was born in Holmes county, Ohio, on Jan. 28, 1847. When 12 years old she came to Iowa with her parents and had lived here ever since. Six of her daughters are living, one daughter, Nellie, having preceded her to the better world. They are Dora (Mrs. Ephraim Hershberger), Catherine (Mrs. C. V. Spry) of Des Moines, Magdalene (Man. D. E. Bontrager) of Kalona, Florence (Mrs. J. D. Miller) of Maxwell, Lydia (Mrs. S. E. Squires) of Mason, Wisc., and Miss Alice Kempf, R. N., of Kalona, who assisted in the care of her aged mother.

Her husband, Samuel Kempf, passed away on Aug. 14, 1892, and she remained at their farm home until when, she moved to Kalona.

[sic misplaced fragment in original:] great-grandchildren are a number who are well-known through church

She has lived here ever since.

She lived to see the golden wedding anniversaries of three of her daughters. The reasons to which she always attributed her longevity were "just quiet living" and "just taking things as they come."

Well-Known Descendants

Among the grandchildren and school connections, including Mrs. J. J. Hochstetler (Gladys Bontrager) of the Canton, Ohio Mission; Deward Brenneman of Hesston College, and his sister Ardis Brenneman of the La Junta School of Nursing; Richard Hostetler of Goshen college; Guy Hershberger, author and instructor at Goshen college; Samuel Hershberger of Iowa City postoffice department.

Barbara Hershberger of Wadsworth, Ohio, was formerly an instructor at the college at Forest City, and is now secretary to Ida Yoder of the Tax and Report Service there; Mrs. Clark Brenneman, R. N., of Wellman; Judge Russell Bontrager of Elkhart, Ind., who in the recent election gained a seat as state senator; and Elizabeth Ann Hershberger now the wife of Min. Harold Bauman of Orrville, Ohio.

The Kempf daughters were among the first in this community to enter professional life, especially as teachers and nurses.

Funeral services were scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the East Union Mennonite church, in charge of Bishop D. J. Fisher and Min. A. Lloyd Swartzendruber, with interment in the old cemetery known the Peter Miller cemetery.