Berg, Katherine Grunau Koop (1883-1971)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1971 Sep 30 p. 11

Birth date: 1883 Oct 2

text of obituary:

MRS. KATHERINE BERG

Mrs. Katherine Berg, daughter of Cornelius and Katherine (Neufeld) Grunau, was born on Oct. 2, 1883 in the village of Kronsthal in South Russia. She passed away in Tulsa, Okla. hospital after a brief illness on Aug. 7, 1971 at the age of 87.

She came to America with her parents in 1892, arriving at Hillsboro, Kan. on June 9. The family stayed at the home of Kornelius Hiebert who lived on a farm south of Hillsboro. In September of the same year the family moved to Oklahoma where her father filed a claim on a 160-acre farm located southeast of Fairview. These were days of hardships and struggles. Quoting from her own words, "It was rather hard for our parents to get a start in a new land with a different way of doing, and crop failures, but father managed to feed and clothe his family."

On Nov. 20, 1902 she was married to David D. Koop. The Lord gave them a good life together for over 56 years. Her husband passed away in 1958 after a lingering illness. This marriage was blessed with three children: Jacob D., Esther and Bertha.

In 1959 she was married to John H. Berg at Enid, Okla. In December 1967 he too passed away after a lingering illness.

Upon confession of faith in Jesus Christ, she was baptized on April 29, 1945 in Wichita, Kan. by Rev. P. C. Hiebert and received into the fellowship of the First Mennonite Brethren Church of Wichita. Her membership was transferred to the Enid Mennonite Brethren Church in 1953 and she was a faithful member there at the time of her passing.

Those remaining to cherish her memory are: two daughters, Mrs. V. L. (Esther) Stephens of Wichita, Kan. and Mrs. J. Ed. (Bertha) Rittenoure of Tulsa, Okla.; one son, J. D. Koop of Reedley, Calif.; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. J. J. (Lena) Koop of Enid and Mrs. John C. (Anna) Heinrichs of Fresno, Calif.; a brother, Rev. J. C. Grunau of Hillsboro, Kan.; three step-daughters, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown and Mrs. Helen White of Enid and Mrs. Sam (Marie) Flaming of Fairview, Okla.; a stepson, Ernest J. Berg of Enid; and many other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held at the Enid Mennonite Brethren Church with Rev. Waldo Wiebe and Rev. Lynford Becker officiating.