Hartzler, Jesse D. (1897-1985)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1985 Jul 25 p. 11

Birth date: 1897 May 15

text of obituary:

JESSE D. HARTZLER

Jesse D. Hartzler, son of Mattie and Amos J. Hartzler, was born May 15, 1897, in East Lynne, Mo. He was the youngest of five children and attended Elm Elementary School. He was baptized as a youth and became a member of Sycamore Grove Mennonite Church.

During World War I,he was detained at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., as a conscientious objector.

On Feb. 22, 1922, he married Ada P. Schrock. They engaged in farming in the Garden City, Mo., area until 1928, when they moved to Hesston, Kan., where he earned his high school diploma at Hesston Academy. He later worked on a master's degree in music and taught music and directed the Hesston College chorus. Later, he taught school in several rural Kansas communities during the depression years and was active at Hesston College Church.

He and his wife moved to Wellman, Iowa, in 1939, where he was employed as a purchasing agent for Maplecrest Turkey Farms. Several years later, they purchased a farm at West Chester where they remained until 1967 when they sold their farm and retired to Wellman.

He developed an extensive collection of hymnbooks that is now located at Goshen (Ind.) College. His interest in and knowledge of church music resulted in invitations to teach singing schools in 32 communities in seven states.

He was active in the Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference and an active member of the Wellman Mennonite Church.

He died June 8, 1985, at Parkview Home in Wayland. He is survived by his wife, Ada, of Parkview; six children, LaVerne Wolfer of Hutchinson, Kan., Victor of Lowell, Ark., Dale of Boulder, Colo., Orval of Broadway, Va., Orpha Yoder of Wayland, Iowa, and Bob of Ankeny, Iowa; 18 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a sister, Prudence Pickett of Newton, Kan. He was preceded in death by a son, Maurice, two half-sisters and a half-brother.