Amstutz, Ida Eva Sprunger (1881-1950)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1950 Jul 6 p. 1

Birth date: 1881

text of obituary:

CORRESPONDENT FOR CHURCH PAPERS DIED AT KIDRON, OHIO

Kidron, Ohio. — Funeral services were held at the Salem Mennonite church here on July 1 for Mrs. Levi E. Amstutz, 69, widely known correspondent for church and local papers who died at her home on June 28 after an Illness of two years.

Besides writing for several Mennonite publications and a number of weekly and daily papers, Mrs. Amstutz served for over 26 years as chief telephone operator on the Kidron exchange. She was active in practically all phases of church work at the Salem church.

Her reports were read with interest because of her own wide interests and her concern for others.

---

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1950 Jul 20 p. 6

text of obituary:

MRS. IDA E. AMSTUTZ

Ida Eva Sprunger Amstutz, daughter of the late Jacob and Anna Sprunger, was born near Berne, Ind., July 5, 1881, and died after a lingering illness on June 18, 1950, at her home in Kidron, Ohio, aged seven days less than 69 years.

At the age of 14 years she was in a class of 90 which was baptized and received into the First Mennonite church at Berne and became an active, loyal and faithful member. She was interested in music and teaching and for a number of summer terms taught in the German language in the rural schools. At the age of 20 she found employment in the office of the Berne Witness Co., newspaper publishers and book binders, as a handtypesetter. For over 20 years she was the correspondent for seven newspapers and periodicals.

On Dec. 5, 1907, she was married to Levi E. Amstutz of Kidron and returned with him to the farm home near Kidron. For the next 15 years they lived there and on a neighboring farm, where their three children were born. Later, when their farm was sold, they moved to Kidron and she became the operator and bookkeeper of the Kidron telephone exchange. She kept that post and was a very kind and patient operator for 26 years, but finally had to resign on account of ill health. She bore her pain and trials with Christian fortitude.

Surviving are her husband, two sons and one daughter, Adrian of Lewisburg, Lavern of Cleveland, Ruth (Mrs. Elmer Slaughter), who is a nurse and who tenderly cared for her mother in her home and in the hospital during her long illness. There are also two grandchildren, four brothers, Silas and Nathan of Berne, Ind., Jacob J. of Ft. Wayne, Ind., Cornelius of Orrville; three sisters, Mrs. Martha Welty of Pandora, Mrs. Jacob Felber of Pennville, Ind., and Mrs. James Powers of Lafayette, Ind.

Preceding her in death were the infant son, John Lyman, on June 9, 1916, her parents, one brother, and four sisters.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 30, at the Desvoignes funeral home at Mt. Eaton and at the Salem Mennonite church where she was a faithful member since her marriage. Services were in charge of Rev. Irvin Richert and Rev. A. R. Kaiser. Interment was made in the adjoining cemetery.

Pallbearers were Lee and Carl Sprunger of Orville, Stanley Sprunger of Wadsworth, Rolland Sprunger of Indianapolis, Ind., Clyde Sprunger of Berne, Ind. and Fenton Sprunger, Monroe, Ind. A large number of relatives and friends from far and near attended the funeral to show their last tribute of respect.

The Mennonite obituary: 1950 Aug 1 p. 515