Fast, David D. (1878-1957)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Mar 28 p. 6

Birth date: 1878 Jan 14

text of obituary:

. . .

— David D. Fast of Walton died March 22 at the Bethel Deaconess Hospital, after being admitted to the hospital the day before. He was 79. Funeral services were held Monday at Moody's Funeral Chapel in Newton with Rev. Curt Boese of Walton officiating, and at the Hoffnungsau church near Inman, Rev. Albert Gaeddert in charge. Mr.Fast formerly farmed in the Alta Mills community and also operated a threshing rig. Surviving are his second wife, Mary; one daughter, Mrs. Henry Huxman of Newton; nine step-children; 30 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Apr 4 p. 8

text of obituary:

DAVID D. FAST

David D. Fast, son of David and Mary (Koop) Fast, was born in Reno County, Kansas on Jan. 14, 1878. He departed this life Friday, March 22, 1957, having reached the age of 79 years, two months and 12 days.

His early childhood days were spent in his parental home in Reno County, Kansas, where he attended the elementary school.

When 18 years of age he experienced his lost condition and accepted Christ as his personal Savior. He was baptized upon this confession of faith in Christ on Nov. 15, 1896, together with six other young persons, by Elder Dietrich Gaeddert. The text for the baptismal message was taken from 2 Peter 3:18, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever, Amen."

On Oct. 23, 1989, Bro. Fast was married to Sara Becker, daughter of Jacob and Sara (Dyck) Becker. To this union was born one daughter, Martha. After 35 years of married bliss, his help meet was called from his side in death Jan. 29, 1933.

He was married April 25, 1937 to Mary Friesen Dyck. Her husband, Bernhard Dyck, had died leaving her a widow with nine children.

David Fast lived the greater part of his life in Harvey County, Kansas. He was well known as a thresher in this community, having operated a grain threshing outfit for more than 20 years. He was also a carpenter, but retired when his health no longer permitted him to work. He made his home a few miles east of the Hebron Church, address Moundridge, until 1946 when he and Mrs. Fast moved to Walton, not far from their daughter Martha.

For some years his health had been failing and he had been under doctor's treatment. A hospitalization period in the Bethel Deaconess Hospital could not restore his health, only relieved him sufficiently so he could stay at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Wedel in Newton for about three weeks. On Thursday, March 21, at noon he was taken back to the hospital, where at 1:45 Friday morning he was called to be with His Lord.

He leaves to mourn his departure his wife, Mary; one daughter Martha, Mrs. Henry Huxman, husband and family of Newton; nine step-children, Bertha, Mrs. J. W. Riffel of Newport, Wash., Helen, Mrs. Ben Wedel of Newton, Henry F. Dyck of Entiat, Wash., Katie, Mrs. Ike Schmidt of Hillsboro, Kansas, Edna, Mrs. Cornie Koehn of Newton, Ruth, Mrs. H. K. Dirks of Delano, Calif., Ernest and Lilian Dyck of Ethiopia, Alvin and Audrey Dyck of Ft. Collins, Colo. , and Kurt and Deloris Dyck of Denver, Colo. He leaves also 30 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, one grandchild having preceded him in death. One sister, Mrs. John S. Klassen of Spokane, Wash., also preceded him in death.

For several months he had frequently expressed his desire to go to be with his Lord. Often he was found reading his Bible, which within the last few years he read through as many as seven times. Frequently too, he had the hymn book beside the Bible, and went from one to the other in his reading. One of the hymns he was frequently observed whistling was "O Pow'r of Love."