Gaeddert, Katharina Ratzlaff (1867-1947)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1947 Mar 13 p. 5

Birth date: 1867 Apr 19

text of obituary:

. . .

— Funeral services are to be held at the Hoffnungsau church, Inman, on Thursday afternoon, March 13, for Mrs. J. D. Gaeddert, 79, whose death at the Bethesda Home for Aged at Goessel occurred Monday afternoon. Mrs. Gaeddert was the mother of Rev. Albert M. Gaeddert, pastor of the Hoffnungsau church. Other children who survive are: Mrs. G. K. Froese and Jacob Gaeddert of Inman; Mrs. H. T. Unruh of Hillsboro; Dietrich Gaeddert of Sylvia; P. R. Gaeddert of Buhler; Gustave Gaeddert of Washington, D. C.; Mrs. John U. Schmidt and John Gaeddert of Hutchinson; Henry Gaeddert of Pretty Prairie, and Walter Gaeddert of Moundridge.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1947 Mar 27 p. 3

text of obituary:

MRS. JACOB D. GAEDDERT

Mrs. Jacob D. Gaeddert, nee Katharina Ratzlaff, daughter of Peter Ratzlaff and Anna Dyck Ratzlaff, was born in the village of Franzthal, South Russia, on April 19, 1867.

During the great emigration to America in 1874, she, as a seven year old girl, came with her parents to America and found her home on a farm in Harvey County, Kansas, six and one-half miles east of the present town of Buhler. Here she lived her childhood days, going through the hardships of the pioneer period. She received her schooling here in America, which was not too advanced in those days, and was mostly in the German language.

When a girl of 17 years, she accepted Christ as her personal Savior, and after having received catechetical instruction from Elder Dietrich Gaeddert, she was baptized on December 14, 1884, upon her own confession of faith, and accepted as a member into the Hoffnungsau Mennonite church, whose faithful member she remained to the day of her departure from this life.

On March 18, 1886, she united in marriage to our father, Jacob D. Gaeddert, with whom she was permitted to share the joys and hardships of life for 50 years, having celebrated their golden wedding three months before our father’s death in 1936. This union was blessed with four daughters and nine sons, of whom one son and one daughter have preceded her in death: Martha, at the age of four months, and David, when 11 years old.

After the death of our father, mother made her home with her children, staying at each home for some time. Since 1944 she made her home in Goessel in the Home for the Aged.

The family lived on a farm in McPherson county, Kansas, until 1928 when they moved to Newton. She enjoyed good health untill 1934, when she suffered a stroke which partially paralyzed her right arm and leg. She recovered quite well again and enjoyed fairly good health. it was a great joy for her when she could be present at the ordination on November 24, 1946 of her son Albert as elder of the Hoffnungsau church. This was the last time she was permitted to be present in the church which she loved so much.

On Sunday, March 9, she attended church as usual in the Home for the Aged, and has recorded in her diary the words the minister had for his text, this being the same as was used at her husband’s funeral, Psalm 73: 23-26. In the evening she went to bed as usual, and at four in the morning it was noticed that she was breathing heavily. the nurse came and found her unconscious, having suffered another stroke. She lived untill 1:30 in the afternoon of that day, March 10, 1947, and quietly passed to her reward.

We have seen pass out of our midst a loving mother, a trusting child of god, a faithful Christian, and a true church member. Her love and her prayers will live even though we will miss her much in our circles. She reached the age of 79 years, 10 months, and 21 days.

She leaves to mourn her departure three daughters, Kathryn, (Mrs. G. K. Froese) Inman, Anna, (Mrs. H. T. Unruh) of Hillsboro, Marie, (Mrs. J. U. Schmidt) of Hutchinson; eight sons, Dietrich R. of Abbeyville, Peter R. of Buhler, Gustav R. of Washington, D. C., John R. of Hutchinson, Jacob C. of Inman, Henry E. of Pretty Prairie, Rev. Albert M. of Inman, and Walter E. of Moundridge; 23 grandchildren, and many relatives and friends; also her mother-in-law, Mrs. Dietrich Gaeddert of Newton. — The bereaved children.