Goertzen, Cornelius (1916-1938)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1938 Jul 13 p. 1

Birth date: 1916

text of obituary:

Victim of Automobile Accident Taken to Nebraska For Funeral and Interment.

Automobiles still remain America's main cause of fatal accidents. Again, another victim was taken from among Mennonite circles last week, of which the Exponent of Reedley, Calif., gives the following report:

The body of Cornelius Goertzen, 22 year old Reedley Junior College student, who was killed in an auto-crash near St. George, Utah, July 3, will be sent to the home of his parents in Madrid, Nebraska, was the word received here.

Goertzen died from internal injuries suffered when a trailer in which he was riding overturned in a ditch. The car was being pulled by an automobile driven by J. R. Quiring, 19, of Los Angeles.

Goertzen was accompanied on the trip from California by Mr. and Mrs. John Quiring of Los Angeles and their five children. None of the Quiring family was hurt. The party was on the way to Nebraska where they planned to visit Goertzen's parents.

Goertzen, a member of the local Mennonite Brethren Church, and active in church work, lived with relatives near Reedley during the last school year while he was attending the local junior college.

He was studying to be a missionary. He was song leader in the Watchman's Club, and was a Sunday School teacher in the M.B. Church.

He was a brother of Mrs. Menno Schellenberg of the Parlier district, Miss Tina Goertzen of Fresno and Miss Anna Goertzen, now enroute to Africa to engage in missionary service.