Franz, James W. (1938-1963)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1963 Dec 19 p. 11

Birth date: 1938 Jan 11

text of obituary:

Services at Hillsboro For Accident Victim

Hillsboro, Kan. — Funeral services for James Franz, 25, who was fatally injured in a two-car crash in Wichita late Thanksgiving night, were conducted at the Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church on Dec. 2. Rev. Marvin Hein and Rev. Robert Vogt officiated.

Mr. Franz, who grew up in Hillsboro and graduated from the local high school and Tabor College, had been an Internal Revenue officer since 1961.

He and his wife, the former Delores Wittmeyer, had spent Thanksgiving here with their parents, the J. E. Franz and Oscar Wittmeyer families. They were returning to their Wichita home when their car was hit broadside by another vehicle at the north edge of Wichita. He was taken to a Wichita hospital and died a few hours after undergoing surgery for his injuries.

Surviving in addition to his wife and parents are two brothers and four sisters.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1964 Jan 30 p. 8

text of obituary:

JAMES W. FRANZ

James W. Franz, son of Jacob E. and Ruth Suderman Franz, was born in McPherson, Kan. on Jan. 11, 1938. After several years he moved with his parents to Hillsboro, Kan., where he attended grade school and high school and later was graduated from Tabor College. He also spent a year in graduate studies at Kansas State Teachers college in Emporia.

Being reared in a Christian home and under the guiding influence of the Church during his youth, he came to experience true faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior in his early teens. In September of 1952 he was baptized and received into the membership of the Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church.

On August 23, 1960, he was married to Delores Wittmeyer, and together we established our first home in Emporia. In July of the following year we moved to Haysville, Kan., and Jim began his work as an Internal Revenue office. Less than a month ago we moved into a new home in Wichita and looked forward to many years of happiness together. The Lord in His wisdom and mercy saw fit to interrupt our plans and after spending Thanksgiving with our families, while traveling home, his life was taken from us by an automobile accident. He died early Friday morning, Nov. 29, 1963, having reached the age of 25 years, ten months, and 18 days.

We are grateful to God that his life has been an encouragement to many. His personable character, enthusiastic nature and Christian testimony endeared him in the lives of many who knew him. His tenderness and love as a husband will never he forgotten. Surviving are his wife, Delores; his parents and parents-in-law; two brothers, Raymond and Richard; four sisters, Elaine, Eloise, Carol, and Judy; as well as a host of other relatives and friends. — The Family.