Tiahrt, Katharina Schmidt (1870-1954)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1954 Dec 30 p. 1
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1955 Jan 13 p. 8

Birth date: 1870 Dec 18

text of obituary:

KATHARINA SCHMIT [sic SCHMIDT] TIAHRT

Katharina Schmidt Tiahrt, our dear mother, was born Dec. 18, 1870, in Heinrichdorf, [sic Heinrichsdorf], Russia. At an early age she lost her parents, and through the efforts of her brothers came to America in 1885, making her home with relatives near Springfield, S. Dak. for several years. Here she accepted the Lord as her personal Saviour and was baptized by her uncle, Elder Benjamin Schmidt, Mar. 25, 1888.

Shortly thereafter she came to Turner county, S. D.. On March 5, she was united in marriage to Jacob Tiahrt by Rev. Christian Kaufman, after which she transferred her membership to the Salem Zion Mennonite church near Freeman, S. Dak. In later years, while making her home with her children, she transferred her membership to the Bethesda Mennonite church near Marion, S. Dak., and remained a member here until her death.

The home was blest with five children, two daughters and three sons, namely, Jacobina (Mrs. A. V. Tieszen) of Freeman, S. Dak., Lena (Mrs. Henry J. Ewert) of Dolton, S. Dak., Albert Tiahrt of Arlington, Virginia, Leon Tiahrt of Rapid City, S. Dak., and Arthur Waldo Tiahrt of Hurley, S. Dak. She is survived by her five children, 15 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, two sons-in-law, and three daughters-in-law. She and her husband shared joys and responsibilities of married life or 52 years and six months, when on Sept. 5, 1941, her husband preceded her in death. She was also preceded by one great-grandchild and all her five brothers and four sisters of which she was the youngest.

After the death of her husband she spent eight years with her children and three years in the Tieszen Home or the Aged at Marion, S. Dak. Then due to infirmities she was taken to the Freeman Community hospital, Freeman, S. Dak., where she was given the best of care for two years and two months. She quietly passed away at the hospital on the evening of her 84th birthday, Dec. 18, 1954.