Waltner, Alfred P. (1888-1960)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1960 Jan 14 p. 1

Birth date: 1888

text of obituary:

Retired Minister Dies At Marion, S. D.

SERVICES FOR REV. A. P. WALTNER HELD AT FREEMAN ON THURSDAY

Marion, S. D. — Rev. Alfred P. Waltner, 71, retired minister of the General Conference Mennonite Church, died at his home here Monday, Jan. 11, after a long period of failing health.

Funeral services are to be held Thursday at 4 p. m. in the Salem-Zion Mennonite church near Freeman.

A native of this community, Rev. Waltner was pastor of the Salem-Zion congregation from 1908 to 1935, and later served for about 10 years as pastor of the Bethesda Mennonite church near Marion.

He was active in various phases of conference work, serving several terms as president of the Northern District Conference and as president of the Freeman Junior College board of trustees. He also served on the Foreign Mission Board of the General Conference for a number of years.

Survivors include his wife, the former Anna Miller, and three children: Mrs. Henry J. Becker of Marion; Rev. Orlando Waltner of North Newton, Kan., missionary to India and now acting executive secretary of the General Conference Board of Missions; and Silas Waltner of Marion.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1960 Mar 17 p. 8

text of obituary:

REV. ALFRED P. WALTNER

Alfred P. Waltner was born March 3, 1888 at Marion, South Dakota. He died Jan. 11, 1960 after a lingering illness of heart complications, diabetes and dropsy. His life of 71 years, 10 months and eight days came to a close as he departed peacefully to be with His God, to whom he had so deeply committed his life.

The steadfast and triumphant faith which in days of pain and weakness sustained our husband and father in gracious living had its beginning in a God-honoring home where Alfred and his brothers and sisters were consistently challenged to Christian living. The definite Christian emphases of the parental home and the warm spiritual concerns of the pioneer ministers drew father's attention to the need of living in God's purposes and will.

On June 21, 1906 he was baptized in the Salem Zion church near Freeman, S. D., and 18 months later was one of two elected to serve as evangelist of the church. On July 26, 1908 he was ordained as a minister and on May 30, 1909 he was ordained elder of the Salem Zion church where he served until 1934. In January 1939 he began a pastoral ministry in the Bethesda church, serving until 1947 when because of illness, he was compelled to retire from active pastoral work.

On May 25, 1911, he was married to Anna Miller, with whom, in devotion and concern, he established a home into which their three children, Hilda, Orlando and Silas were born. This family was privileged to have many guests and to entertain relatives, friends, church workers, ministers and missionaries.

Father's interests extended beyond the home and ministry. He served as president of the board of directors of Freeman Junior College, assisted in the organization of the Freeman home for the aged, and at various times served on committees and as chairman of the Northern District Conference.

On the General Conference level, he served as member of the Board of Trustees and later as a member of the Board of Foreign Missions. He maintained wide church and conference interests and concerns — concerns which he did not fail to mention in his morning prayer on the day he died.

Father was eager to live and serve in the Spirit of Christ. His was a life of quiet trust in God, in devotion to prayer, in humble service and in gracious living. He wanted his life to glorify God and to help people want to follow God.

God's grace in father's life, evident in his active ministry, was even more evident in the days of his illness. In these years God gave him the difficult task of proving that Divine Grace is sufficient for man's every need. That father's ministry in these recent years to children, youth, adults and aged was so meaningful is due to the marvelous grace and mercy of God.

For this grace father was deeply grateful as he was thankful to the doctors, nurses and friends who ministered to him and expressed their interest in him. — The Family.

The Mennonite obituary: 1960 Jan 19 p. 46