Walter, Kathryn Ratzlaff (1876-1955)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Jan 19 p. 8

Birth date: 1876 Sep 14

text of obituary:

MRS. JOSEPH F. WALTER

Our beloved wife and mother, Kathryn, daughter of Abraham and Anna Ratzlaff (nee Teske), was born Sept. 14, 1876, on a farm six miles northeast of Freeman, S. D. She died at 2:00 p.m. on Dec. 28, 1955, in the Methodist Hospital at Mitchell.

In her youth she received only a limited elementary education due to the hardships of pioneer life. However, this was not the greatest obstacle which she ahd to endure in her earthly pilgrimage. Much more drastic were the results of a prairie fire in 1889 which consumed her mother and also the parental home. this tragic incident left her motherless at the age of 13. Four years later her father died, leaving her an orphan at the age of 17.

One evening while returning from a schoolhouse prayer meeting the song, "Komm zu dem Heiland, Komme noch Heut" made an indelible impression upon her heart and mind. After intense heart searching and very earnest prayers she accepted Jesus as her Saviour and enjoyed forgiveness of sins. On May 14, 1894, she was baptized upon the confession of her faith by Elder Jacob Wiebe and received into the fellowship of the Salem K.M.B. church of which she remained a faithful member until her death. At the time of her departure she was the oldest member of this church.

On April 19, 1896, she was married to Joseph F. Walter by Elder Paul Tschetter. God granted them the rare privilege of sharing life's joys and sorrows for 59 years, eight months and nine days. In 1908 they sold their farm north of Freeman and bought the Rev. John Tschetter farm near the Salem church where they resided at the time of her death. Along with the many pressing duties of family life and providing a Christian home, mother and her companion found time to perform the janitor's duties of the Salem church for many years. This task of life was done cheerfully as unto the Lord.

Mother attended church services regularly and enjoyed relatively good health. However, on Dec. 18, 1955, she did not feel at par and did not go to church. The same day she suffered a severe heart attack (coronary thrombosis). At the request of the doctor the family was summoned to her bedside. She assured the family she was ready to die and that they should not weep for her.