Esch, Menno (1879-1967)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1968 Jan 11 p. 10

Birth date: 1879 Jul 14

text of obituary:

Retired Bishop Dies At Fairview, Mich.

Fairview, Mich. — Funeral services were held Friday afternoon, Dec. 29, at the Fairview Mennonite Church for the congregation's retired bishop, Menno Esch, who died from cancer on Dec. 27 at the age of 88.

Bishop Esch was the oldest ordained man of the Indiana-Michigan Conference of the (Old) Mennonite Church. He was ordained to the ministry in 1906 at the Fairview Church, retired in 1952 and preached his last sermon on the 60th anniversary of his ordination.

Born July 14, 1879 near Wellman, Ia., he moved to Oscoda County, Mich. in 1905 where he lived the rest of his life. Bishop Esch was one of the early pioneers both in the community and in the church.

Surviving him are eight children, 36 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, one brother and two sisters. Mrs. Esch, the former Nettie Yoder, preceded him in death.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1968 Feb 1 p. 10