Gruetter, Max (1914-1956)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Nov 15 p. 3

Birth date: 1914

text of obituary:

Missionary Dies in Congo

HEART ATTACK FATAL TO REV. MAX GRUETTER, 42, OF SWITZERLAND

Chicago, Ill. — Rev. Max Gruetter, age 42, missionary of the Congo Inland Mission, suffered a fatal coronary thrombosis about mid-morning on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 1956, near Kamayala station, according to word received at the C. I. M. headquarters.

Rev. Gruetter and two of his children were returning from the river on the station pick-up from where they were bringing back water for the industrial work. He suddenly edged off the road, stopped the vehicle and bowed his head on the steering wheel. No more words were spoken by him.

The African workers with them carried him to Kamayala station where emergency treatment was given. He was then transferred to Kahemba, a State Post, where everything possible was done. Rev. Gruetter never regained consciousness again and passed away to his Heavenly Home at about 12:30 noon that same day.

Joined C.I.M. in April

Rev. and Mrs. Gruetter and their three children were from Switzerland. They have spent two terms as missionaries in Belgian Congo serving in the Kikwit and Wamba-Luadi areas under U. T. M. When U. T. M. dissolved their work in Congo the Gruetters made application to C. I. M. and joined the Congo Inland Mission family in April 1956. They have worked faithfully since then at Kamayala station, where Rev. Gruetter was particularly active in the outstation evangelistic work.

A memorial service was held on Oct. 31 with the Africans at Kamayala station, and then the party went to Kahemba for the burial. Later that afternoon, the missionary group present gathered in Mrs. Gruetter's home for another memorial service.