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Boehr, Jennie May Gottshall (1892-1936)
Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1936 Mar 31 p. 14
Birth date: 1892 Jan 24, Pennsylvania
Date of Death: 1936 Mar 4, Pennsylvania
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1936 Mar 4 p. 1
MRS. P. J. BOEHR IS CALLED AWAY
Rev. P. H. Richert, secretary of the Foreign Mission Board of the General Conference, submitted the following telegram for publication in the Mennonite Review. The message was sent by Rev. Howard G. Nyce from Allentown, Pa. and is dated Mar. 4
"Mrs. Boehr died three-thirty P.M. Funeral will be held Monday. Service First Reformed Church, Quakertown, A.M. and Eden Mennonite Church, Schwenksville, P.M. Rev. Neuenschwander will have one service and I the other to represent the Board."
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1936 Mar 4 p. 1
text of obituary:
A WORD FROM MISSIONARY BOEHR
Richlandtown, Pa.,
February 29, 1936.
To the Readers of the Mennonite Weekly Review, Our Dear Friends, and Prayer Helpers:
How much rather would we send in reports from the battle's front, but, as Mrs. Boehr wrote in a letter not long ago, "the Lord says, WAIT". To the many friends of missions and of our family we owe a word of greeting from our family, and also wish to share with you our present situation into which the Lord has permitted us to come. We know that there are many suffering people who very likely are even in a worse condition that we. But, oh, how the family does miss the tender care and counsel of so active a mother as was my dear helpmate only a little over a month ago. But she has been laid up now since February 1, and has been a pretty ill woman ever since July 1935, when the first indications of a sore lump in her right breast became known to her. And for a few months she has had such a sore right side, including the arm; but the past month Mrs. Boehr has gone through intense suffering, so that we despaired of her life at times.
The verse in Ps. 37, 5 has been a stay for her sometime, and indeed the only hope for her now, "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He worketh". It remains for us to COMMIT and TRUST, not ourselves, and not great specialists, but the eternal God, to whom "all things are possible" (Matt. 19, 26). And again, "All things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9, 23). It remains for us, and for all praying people, to live by Scriptural injunction; and, it is certain, we would see more of miraculous healings of body and soul.
After having been to the noted specialists, the Kellys of Baltimore, a few times last year, my dear wife was given deep X-Ray treatments for cancer in November 1935; also some supplementary treatments with radium needles. She was then asked to wait for the X-Ray to do its work, and come again in February for a lat word before operation. But by the beginning of February the illness took a sudden turn, and there was no thought of traveling from home to see specialists. And after other specialists were summoned, — who, according to their best knowledge, pronounced the case beyond medical help, the dear suffering mother said, "Well, I suppose it had to come to this in order that we might expect healing from god alone".
And yet, we do not just simply "resign" ourselves to our fate, but we have acted according to the teaching of God's Word, and have called the elders of the church for prayer and anointing. what a blessed experience it was to have this service last Feb. 6 right in Mrs. Boehr's bedroom. She also offered a prayer to God that He might do for her what is for His Glory, and heal her according to his Word, Jas. 5, 14-16. And there in her room upstairs still lies the suffering one, and how good our heavenly Father is to us, and how kind neighbors and friends are. How much we do need your prayers, and we believe your prayers are already being answered in Mrs. Boehr's behalf. We would so much like to write to many of you personally, but that may not be possible. So forgive us, if we do not always write as often as we should.
We believe the patient sufferer upstairs passed an important crisis last week, and we praise God that it was passed in such a way as it was. When pain had been so severe, and sleep fled from the dear one, I dressed at 4 A. M., and read much from the Word. When I came to the passage and read Mark 5: 25ff, how the woman with an issue of blood was instantly healed by Christ, Mrs. Boehr said, "When you read that I felt a Power going through my body, and now I feel better". Thank God for the assurance He gives to all who wait upon Him, and we feel confident that "all things work together for good to them that love god" (Rom. 8, 28).
May this help you all to pray on for us, and for suffering saints everywhere. It has already helped us to pray more with an understanding for the many who must go through much suffering. How the thoughts in 2 Cor. 1, 5 have helped us in this "siege" of suffering; for where "suffering abounds" the "consolation of Christ" also "abounds". And please remember that my dear wife is fighting the battle of her life; but we also know that "the battle is not yours, it is the Lord's".
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1936 Mar 11 p. 5
Jennie (Gottshall) Boehr
On Monday afternoon, March 9, beneath the sod grown over the foundation of the Meetinghouse, in which her father and grandfather preached, the remains of Jennie (Gottshall) Boehr were laid to rest. This service came at the close of a day of mourning and of tributes.
Two services were held. The first in the Reformed church, Quakertown; the second in the Eden Mennonite church, Schwenksville. Many gathered at both places to pay a last tribute to the missionary mother, whose going seemed to be so untimely.
The service in Quakertown was held in the forenoon. At 10:30 o'clock a large audience gathered to listen to the tributes to be paid to the departed. The service was in charge of Rev. Andrew J. Neuenschwander. The main message of the morning was given by Rev. Howard G. Nyce, Eastern District representative on the Foreign Mission board. others participating were Rev. Stoudt, pastor of the Reformed church, friend of the family; Rev. E. J. Bohn, president of Eastern District Conference; Rev. D. J. Unruh, pastor of grace Mennonite church, Lansdale; and Rev. Allen M. Fretz, veteran pastor of the conference.
Bro. Nyce chose as his text John 13: 7. "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." he called the attention of the assembly to the parallel circumstances, stressing the place that Sister Boehr filled in her family and her usefulness on the mission field.
A tribute in the form of a personally composed poem was read by Miss Frieda Sprunger, missionary on furlough. Several telegrams and radiograms were read in connection with an interesting obituary.
The service at Schenksville [sic Schwenksville], the Meetinghouse of her childhood, was held in the afternoon. it was in charge of Rev. Freeman H. Swartz, pastor of the Eden congregation. The sermon was preached by Rev. A. J. Neuenschwander. Rev. E. J. Bohn, Rev. D. J. Unruh, Rev. R. V. Stubbe and Rev. Sylvan Lehman assisted in this service.
As a text Bro. Neuenschwander chose Acts 20: 24, "None of these things moved me. . . ." In very appropriate and very forceful manner he outlined the life of the departed Missionary and drew parallel illustrations. He had known her as a fellow-student at Bluffton College. Later he noted her sincerity as she was active on the field. As a pastor he had observed her work. As friend of family — Bro. Neuenschwander and Bro. Gottshall live on the same street, only several blocks apart — he had observed how that even in sickness "Jennie" had set her face to go to China, looking for God to supply the aid, when human physicians failed. And touchingly he paid tribute to the joy of her faith and"the sufficiency of the grace of God in her suffering." A mixed quartet from the East Swamp congregation, of which Sister Boehr's father was pastor, sang three appropriate hymns. Also a verse of "Asleep in Jesus" at the grave.
A radiogram from five "Mennonite Nazarenes" was read. They saluted the family with john 11: 25. Floral tributes from friends abounded.
Among the hundreds that passed by her peaceful form, were not only members of the congregation of her father and of the Eastern District Conference, but also strangers — friends the Boehrs had made during their sojourn in the homeland. Even pastors of other denominations paused to pay tribute to her memory. Indeed her out-going was glorious.
She leaves to mourn her, a husband, four boys and two small girls; her aged and beloved parents. Rev. and Mrs. William Gottshall; two brothers and a sister. "A host of friends, some of a strange tongue, will rise and call her name and memory blessed."
There in the graveyard of the Old Gottshall Meetinghouse, on the spot where once stood the Meetinghouse in which her grandfather and father were ordained and preached, waiting for the Resurrection Call at the Coming of our Lord, rests the body of Jennie Boehr.
The Mennonite obituary: 1936 Mar 17 p. 13
The Mennonite obituary: 1936 Mar 24 p. 14
The Mennonite obituary: 1936 Mar 31 p. 12
MLA Personal Photos Collection
Biographical note:
Schwenksville, Pennsylvania
d/o William S. and Nancy (von Nieda) Gottshall
m. Peter J. Boehr 1915 Jun 8
Missionary -- China 1915-1935
Bethel alumni note:
Photo holdings:
With son
See Peter J. Boehr for family photos
See William Shelly Gottshall for family photos
See Talitha Neufeld for China photo
Sources:
Grandma Online 527467
Find A Grave 47013193