Guengerich, William S. (1877-1967)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1967 Dec 21 p. 2

Birth date: 1877 Apr 14

text of obituary:

90-Year-Old Minister Dies in Iowa City

Wellman, Iowa. — Funeral services for William S. Guengerich, 90, retired minister and farmer, were held Sunday afternoon, Dec. 10, at the Wellman Mennonite Church. Ronald Kennel, A. Lloyd Swartzendruber and John Y. Swartzendruber officiated.

Rev. Guengerich was a son of S. D. Guengerich, widely known Amish writer and historian of this community. He was ordained at the West Union Mennonite Church, where he served as pastor until 1922, and then served as pastor of the Wellman Mennonite church until 1948. During 17 years residence in California, he was active in the ministry at the Seventh Street Mennonite Church, Upland.

Rev. Guengerich died Dec. 7 at an Iowa City nursing home where he had been a patient one day. For the past three years he and his wife had resided at Pleasantview Home, Kalona.

---

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1968 Feb 15 p. 8

text of obituary:

WILLIAM S. GUENGERICH

William S. Guengerich, son of Samuel D. and Barbara (Beachy) Guengerich, was born in Johnson County, Iowa on April 14, 1877, and died at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa on Dec. 7, 1967 at the age of 90 years, seven months, and 16 days. His birthplace was the old homestead which his grandparents purchased from the government in 1846.

Will accepted Christ as his savior in 1895 and was baptized at the Upper Deer Creek Amish Church, later transferring his membership to the West Union Mennonite Church where he became an active member, assisting in a branch Sunday school in the village of Daytonville, near Wellman. On Jan. 17, 1909 he was ordained to the Christian ministry at the West Union Church by Daniel Kauffman.

On Nov. 17, 1901 he was united in marriage with Ellen Nora Yoder. To this union one daughter, Clara, Mrs. Emerson Rodgers, was born. Nora passed away on Jan. 10, 1922.

On Sept. 11, 1923 he was married to Martha Buckwalter of Newton, Kan. Surviving are his companion, his daughter Clara, a brother Menno of Blackie, Alberta, a sister Susie, Mrs. Henry Kuhns, of Kalona, two grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, 12 nieces, and 12 nephews. Two brothers and two sisters preceded him n death.

Will served as a minister at the West Union Mennonite Church, also at Manitou Springs, Colo., Upland, Calif., and at Daytonville near Wellman, Iowa, which later became the Wellman Mennonite Church. He served nine years as chairman of the Iowa-Nebraska District Mission Board. He retired from this responsibility in 1948, moving to Upland, Calif. where he and his companion were active in the work of the church until moving to Pleasantview Home in Kalona, Iowa in December 1965. They were residents of the Home at the time of his passing.

Uncle Will, (as the writer always knew him) loved the Scriptures. He was a strong advocate of love and patience as two important attributes of a Christian. His Bibles show the greatest wear in the Gospel of John, the Epistles of Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 John, much of which was committed to memory.

His spirit of love and kindness will long be remembered by all who knew him. He often expressed his hopes of being with his Savior and Lord in personal presence, which he is now able to realize.

Funeral services were held on Dec. 10 at the Wellman Mennonite Church with Ron Kennel, John Y. Swartzendruber, and A. Lloyd Swartzendruber officiating.