Brunk, Eva Harder (1883-1949)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1949 May 12 p. 5

Birth date: 1883 Jul 22

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1949 May 12 p. 6

text of obituary:

EVA HARDER BRUNK

Eva Harder Brunk was born in Lathan, Missouri, July 22, 1883, a daughter of Charles and Helena Harder. She died of a heart attack shortly after noon on Good Friday, April 15, 1949. She was the third in a family of eleven children, and is the first of this family to pass on to the great beyond.

Serving her besides her husband are the following sisters and brothers: Misses Melva G., Edna and Sophia M. Harder, and Mrs. John (Emily) Magee and Jonas F. Harder, all of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Henry J. Harder, Didsbury, Alberta, Canada; Mrs. C. B. (Lydia) Driver, Versailles, Missouri; Reuben Harder, Leonard, Missouri; Edward B. Harder, Upland, California, and John B. Harder, Culp, Alberta, Canada.

Her mother died when Eva was 21 years old and so she took on the responsibilities of helping her father make a home for the family. She carried these responsibilities together with a teaching assignment in the local school until she went to college to prepare for mission work.

After graduating from Goshen college, she sailed for India with Elsie Drange Kauffman and Mary Yoder Burkhart in the fall of 1908. On February 27, 1913, she and A. C. Brunk were married in India. She served as a missionary in that field under the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities for a period of 40 years, returning to America with her husband on their last furlough in May 1947.

Since their retirement they have lived in Goshen, Indiana, and at the headquarters of the Mission Board in Elkhart. They served as hosts at the headquarters home and office. On moving to Elkhart, Bro. and Sister Brunk transferred their membership to the Prairie Street Mennonite church.

She had no children of her own, but she mothered and cared for the children of others, both Indian and European. She was especially fond of babies. Although she served as a Bible woman, a pastor's wife and an able administrator of different insti¬tutions, yet her main avenue of serv¬ice to her Lord was as a practical doc¬tor and nurse. There are very many who will rise up and testify to her intelligent and understanding ministry.