Schrag, Freni Strausz (1863-1949)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1949 Aug 11 p. 5

Birth date: 1863 Dec 16

text of obituary:

. . .

— Funeral services were held at the First Mennonite church of Pretty Prairie on Wednesday afternoon for Mrs. Fannie [sic Freni] (Strausz) Schrag, 85, a pioneer resident of Harvey county and mother of the Review editor, Menno Schrag. Rev. Sam J. Goering and Dr. Howard G. Nyce conducted the services. Mrs. Schrag passed away at her home southeast of Pretty Prairie early Monday morning. Born at Horodish [sic Horodisch], Russia on Dec. 16, 1863, she migrated to America with her parents in 1874; and the family settled near Moundridge. On March 4, 1886, she was married to Andrew G. Schrag, who with 11 children survive. Thirty-four grandchildren and several great grandchildren also survive.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1949 Aug 25 p. 3, 6

text of obituary:

FRENI SCHRAG

Freni Schrag was born December 16, 1883, in Horodisch, Russia, the daughter of Jacob and Anna (Graber) Strausz. She quietly passed away at 6:30 o’clock on the morning of August 8, 1949, at Cheney, Kansas, after an earthly sojourn of 85 years, seven months and 22 days. During her last illness she was bedfast about two and one-half months.

Mingled with her more than four-score years was much labor and sorrow, but as the Psalmist of old she also experienced that the Lord was her safe and sure dwelling-place. She is the last of seven children and of her immediate family is survived only by a half-brother, Jacob Strausz.

Most of her early schooling, as well as religious instruction, she received in the village school in Russia. At the age of 10 years, during the large Mennonite immigration of 1874, she came to America with her parents and two sisters and they settled on a homestead five miles southwest of what is now Moundridge, Kansas. With the parents and sisters, she shared the toil and privations of establishing a pioneer home on the open prairie, the family living in a sod house the first few years. The deepest heartache of her youth came when her mother passed away on July 4, 1884.

After catechetical instruction and upon confession of faith in Christ as her personal Saviour she was baptized April 19, 1878 by Elder Jacob Stucky and became a member of the Hopefield Mennonite church at Moundridge. On March 4, 1886, she was married to Andrew G. Schrag, who now survives her, together with all of their 11 children. For 34 years the family lived at Moundridge until 1920, when they and the then still unmarried children moved to the Pretty Prairie community, establishing a new home in Kingman County. In 1921 they joined the Pretty Prairie Mennonite church, of which she remained a devoted member until her death.

During her long life she found much joy and comfort in reading the Word of God and singing Christian hymns. Among the songs she especially loved to sing, in the German, as she went about her tasks was, "My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus blood and righteousness." Others were "Lasz mich gehen, dasz ich Jesu moechte sehn” and "In dem Himmel ist Ruh." For her children her tender love, her Christian teaching, her day-by-day sacrifices and her fervent prayers in their behalf will always remain a cherished memory.

Children left to mourn her passing are, Rose, and her husband Peter P. Schrag of Pretty Prairie: Mrs. Anna Ratzlaff, Wichita; Carolina, at home; Clara, and her husband Ephraim Borth, Cheney; Sam and Amanda Schrag, Cheney; Kate, and her husband Jonas D. Saner, El Dorado; Mary, and her husband, Herman Winsinger, Pretty Prairie; John and Verna Schrag of Omaha, Nebr.; Dan and Adina Schrag, Pretty Prairie; Menno and Gertrude Schrag, Newton; and Lillian and her husband James Heathershaw, who have recently returned from Africa and are now at the family home. Surviving are also 30 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren, many nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one son-in-law, Henry Ratzlaff; six grandchildren, two sisters and four brothers.

The children take farewell from their mother, until they meet again eternally, with this benediction:

"Asleep in Jesus! Peaceful rest
Whose waking is supremely blest;
No fear, no woe, shall dim that hour
That manifests the Saviour’s power."

Dr. Howard G. Nyce, her pastor, and Rev. Sam J. Goering of North Newton, a nephew of the deceased spoke words of comfort at the funeral services held at the family home and at the Pretty Prairie Mennonite church on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 10. Dr. Nyce spoke on Psalm 17.15, a favorite text selected by the children, and Rev. Goering, who spoke in German, on Psalm 42:2. The body rests in the cemetery near the church, awaiting the Saviour’s call on the Resurrection morning.