Franz, Agatha Dyck (1899-1995)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2 Feb 1995 p. 10

Birth date: 1899

text of obituary:

AGATHA DYCK FRANZ

Agatha Dyck Franz, 96, long-time Lind, Wash., resident, died Dec. 16, 1994, at Terrace Heights Nursing Center in Moses Lake. Services were held at Menno Mennonite Church, Ritzville.

She was born in Beatrice, Neb., Sept. 6, 1898, and came to Adams County with her parents, Henry and Maria Dyck. They homesteaded near Schrag in 1902. She married Julius A. Franz on Sept. 4, 1919. They lived on a farm 13 miles northwest of Lind. She remained on the farm until 1989, when she moved to Moses Lake.

Though she was only able to attend school through the eighth grade, education was important to her. She loved to read and taught German Sunday school. She enjoyed working outside. When her two older brothers were called into service during World War I, she helped her father with the farm work, driving a team of horses.

Agatha was active in women's mission activities of Menno Mennonite Church. Her nightly routine was to pray for each member in the family by name and for the church at large.

Agatha and Julius were generous in their support of the local church, the conference, Christian education and service. They encouraged their children and grandchildren to attend Bethel College, and most of them did.

She is survived by two sons, Leonard of Moses Lake and Henry and his wife Dorothy of Lind; five daughters, Marie and her husband Elmer Ewert of Marion, S. D., Viola and her husband Ralph Boese of Spokane, Clara and her husband Walt Reimer of Moses Lake, Lucille and her husband Lester Harms of Bellevue, and Lois and her husband Gladwin Bartel of La Junta, Colo.; 18 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Julius; and two daughters, Marlene Franz and Judy Dorsing.

A memorial has been established with the Julius A. and Agatha Dyck Franz community service faculty award at Bethel College.