Amstutz, Kenneth L. (1908-1931)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1932 Jan 20 p. 1
Birth date: 1908
text of obituary:

Heart Disease Causes Death of Professor.

Heart disease was responsible for the death of Kenneth L. Amstutz, 24-year old Miami university professor and son of Rev. J. E. Amstutz of Trenton, Ohio, Coroner Edward Cook indicated.

The you9ng educator's body was found in a ravine west of Bull Run creek, near Oxford Mikell of Oxford. Coroner Cook said death occurred at nine o'clock in the morning.

Professor Amstutz was widely known throughout Butler county as is his father, pastor of the Mennonite church, and member of the Middletown Ministerial association.

Dr. Cook's verdict is that death was the result of natural causes, dilation of the heart, and occurred while the young professor was taking his customary walk through the ravine.

Prof. Amstutz attended Bluffton College two years and graduated from Miami University at Florida in 1928. He then attended the University of Illinois where in 1929 he received his Master's degree. He served as a research chemist with the Dow Chemical Co. at Midland, Mich, for a year and in the fall of 1930 he returned to Miami University as assistant Professor of chemistry.

He was married to Helen Schafer and resided at 111 East Spring street, Oxford. He also is survived by his mother, two sisters, Bernice and Maurine, and one brother, John, all of Trenton.

The funeral took place Saturday at the Mennonite church, Trenton. The Presbyterian minister of Trenton was assisted by Dr. Howard Robinson, Dean of Miami University. The funeral was very largely attended, more than forty from Oxford, attending. Burial was in the Shaefer lot in Middletown cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers were: Dr. H. C. Brill and Professor C. W. Kreger, and acting pallbearers were Professor J. R. Brietenbacher, Professor J. H. Russell, Professor C. N. Webb, Dr. E. F. Patton, Dr. W. F. Cottrel and Professor S. A. Switzer, all of the faculty. — Trenton (Ohio) Times.

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The Mennonite obituary: 1932 Feb 4 p. 13
text of obituary:

Amstutz — Kenneth L. Amstutz, twenty-four years of age, assistant professor of chemistry at Miami University, died suddenly from heart disease Wednesday, Dec. 30th, while taking a walk along Bull Run, south of Oxford, Ohio.

Prof. Amstutz’s body was found in a ravine near Oxford where he was walking at the time he was stricken. He had left his home early for his accustomed walk and was not discovered until afternoon.

Investigation by the coroner revealed that the body was lying face down where the professor had evidently collapsed after crossing a small run. Mr. Amstutz had not been feeling well for some time preceding his death and had taken walks and exercise regularly.

Prof. Amstutz had been a member of the chemistry department for the past year and a half, coming to the University after a year in an industrial position with the Dow Chemical Co. of Midland, Mich. He had previously been graduated from Miami in 1928 and had taken his A. M. degree at Illinois where he held an assistantship, in 1929.

The deceased professor was a member of a Miami family, his father, Rev. John E. Amstutz, of Trenton, Ohio, having graduated from there in 1911.

He is also survived by his mother, a sister Bernice, who is librarian in the school at Huntington, W. Va., Maurine, another sister, who is a senior in the College of Liberal Arts, and a brother, John Howard, a junior at Miami.

Prof. Amstutz’s wife was formerly Helen Marie Shafer of Trenton. They were married in 1929.

He was to have had a year’s leave of absence in 1933 to complete work for his doctor’s degree in chemistry.

The funeral was held Jan. 2nd with a short service at the home of Rev. Amstutz in Trenton, in charge of Rev. Ferguson of the Trenton U. P. church. He read the 23rd Psalm and also a very beautiful poem, “Waiting in Another Room.” This was followed by services in the Mennonite church in Trenton, Rev. Turner from the U. B. church, Middletown, officiating. His texts were Romans 8:37-39, John 14:1, and Hebrews 13:5.

Dean Howard Robinson of the Liberal Arts College also spoke, representing Miami University.