Berg, Elizabeth Beier (1884-1977)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1977 Mar 31 p. 11

Birth date: 1884 Oct 25

text of obituary:

ELIZABETH BERG

The following brief autobiography is a translation from a German paper found among our dear mother's possessions, written in 1962.

My parents were Abraham and Elizabeth Born Beier. I was born in Parker, S.D. Oct. 25, 1884. My parents moved to Marion, S.D. where I spent my early childhood. In 1901 we moved to Corn, Okla. where I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. I was baptized June 1, 1903 by Abraham Richert and received into the Corn Mennonite Brethren Church. Later we moved to Gotebo, Okla, where I was accepted into the M. B. Church.

On Jan. 2, 1910 I accepted the responsibility of being mother to three motherless children when I married Henry H. Berg. We were blessed with seven children, one of whom died at the age of seven.

We moved to Inola, Okla. in 1920 where our father and husband passed away on Nov. 3, 1930 at the age of 56. it was not easy without a husband and father to rear the children, especially since the youngest was less than five years old. However the Lord helped in a wonderful way, blessing the works of our hands so that we were able to have a debt-free home. Since we lived on a farm the children could help.

We attended the M. B. church near Inola where our children were converted and joined the church. As the children grew older one by one they left home and now are scattered abroad as far away as India where Ruth and her husband, Jake Friesen, serve as missionaries in a hospital.

Since all but one of the children had left home, we sold the farm and moved to Reedley in 1945. shortly thereafter I became a member of the Dinuba M. B. Church. I lived alone for a while after my children were all married but my health was not good so I moved into Palm Haven in 1962.

I am grateful to the Lord for the good care I have received at the Rest Home, especially that the Word of God was heard daily. I was greatly blessed and happy.

Mother ended her account with a poem in praise of her Lord and the glorious anticipation of seeing each other some day in the splendor of Glory.

She suffered a stroke on Feb. 14, 1974 from which she never fully recovered. She was taken to Pleasant View Manor where she remained until the time of her departure on March 4, 1977 at the age of 92.

Preceding mother in death were two children, Walter and Elsie, one grandchild, Ruth Kohfeld, and two great grandchildren, Steven David and Tim Kohfeld. Remaining to mourn her passing are eight children, Clara of Los Angeles, Emma and husband Albert Kohfeld of Soquel, Calif., Martha and husband Alfred David of Tulsa, Okla., Will and wife Mary of Inola, Okla., Arthur and wife Helen of Fresno, Esther and husband Edwin Nickel of Inola, Ruth and husband Jake Friesen of Reedley, and John and wife Esther of Fresno; 29 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; one brother, Pete Beier; a sister, Mrs. George Quiring, and two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Rachel Beier and Mrs. Mary Berg. — The Family.