Franz, Anna Schmidt (1884-1967)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1967 Mar 30 p. 5

Birth date: 1884 Oct 20

text of obituary:

. . .

• Mrs. Anna Franz, 82, a resident of the Cedar Rest Home at Peabody, suffered an apparent heart attack at the home on Thursday evening, March 23, and died while being taken to the Bethesda Hospital at Goessel. The funeral was held Saturday afternoon at the Alexanderwohl Church, with Rev. Aaron Epp officiating. Mrs. Franz was the former Anna Schmidt of Goessel. She and her husband, Peter J. Franz, lived at Colby, Kan. for about 30 years, moving to the Bethesda Home at Goessel in 1963. Recently they have been cared for at the nursing home in Peabody. Surviving in addition to Mr. Franz are four daughters, two sons, a brother, P.U. Schmidt of Goessel, 28 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Mrs. Alvin Goossen of Newton is a daughter.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1967 Apr 27 p. 8

text of obituary:

MRS. ANNA FRANZ

Mrs. Peter J. (Anna) Franz was born Oct. 20, 1884 in the village Hochfeld in Marion County, Kansas to Peter H. and Anna Unrau Schmidt. She attended the Hochfeld school.

On May 31, 1903 she was baptized by Elder Peter Balzer and became a member of the Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church near Goessel.

On Feb. 19, 1907 she was married to Peter J. Franz by Rev. C. C. Wedel. In 1932 they celebrated their silver wedding, in 1957 the golden wedding, and in 1967 their 60th anniversary. To this union were born two sons and five daughters.

The first 22 years of their married life they lived on a farm north of Goessel, then moved to Thomas County, Kansas. The dust storm years of 1935-1937 were very hard financially. In 1937 when the Meadow Mennonite Church was organized, they joined as charter members. In 1934 they gave up farming and moved to Hillsboro, Kan. where they worked in the Mission Home (home for the aged) for about 18 months.

In 1949 they moved back to Thomas County because of Mr. Franz' health. In 1952 they had a house moved on the yard of their children's farm, where they lived happily for 11 years. On July 19, 1963 the children moved them to the Bethesda Home in Goessel.

On Aug. 23, 1965 mother had a stroke which left her left side paralized [sic]. She was taken to Colonial Manor in Haven, and later our parents were moved to Cedar Rest Home in Peabody. On March 23, 1967 she had a severe heart attack and died while being taken to the Bethesda Hospital.

She was a dear mother and grandmother, and enjoyed the activity of the sewing society. ' Those who mourn her passing are her husband and children, Bertha, Mrs. Alvin L. Goosen of Newton, Jacob S. of Walton, Katherina, Mrs. Dan N. Epp of Colby, Anna Ruth, Mrs. Ernest H. Jantzen of Plymouth, Neb., Peter A. of Lodi, Calif. and their companions, and Mrs. Hulda Goosen of Colby; 28 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren; one brother, Peter U. Schmdit, and three sisters-in-law.

Funeral services were conducted at the Alexanderwohl Church on March 25, with Rev. Aaron Epp in charge.

The Mennonite obituary: 1967 Apr 18 p. 267