Gunden, Mary Swartzendruber (1859-1957)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 May 23 p. 1

Birth date: 1859 Jun 1

text of obituary:

SERVICES HELD AT PIGEON, MICH. FOR GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, 97

Goshen, Ind. — A number of relatives and friends from the Goshen community attended funeral services at the Pigeon River Mennonite church near Pigeon, Mich. for Mrs. John Gunden, Sr., who died there May 12 at the age of 97. She would have reached her 98th birthday June 2.

Grandmother Gunden is survived by eight children, including C. J. Gunden of Goshen and William Gunden of Elkhart. A number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren also survive.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Jun 6 p. 8

text of obituary:

MRS. JOHN GUNDEN, SR.

Mary, daughter of Christian and Elizabeth (Eash) Swartzendruber, was born June 1, 1859, in Johnson county, Iowa. She passed away at her home in Pigeon, Mich. after a few days' illness of pneumonia on May 12, 1957, age 97 years, 11 months and 12 days.

She was married to John Gunden in Iowa on March 16, 1879, by Bishop Abner Yoder.

The family moved from Iowa to a farm south of Bay Port, Mich. in 1904 and moved from the farm to Pigeon in 1921. Her husband passed away May 24, 1931. Also preceding her were the following: Katie, Mrs. Joe Kauffman, Emma, Mrs. Amelius Bender, Lizzie, Mrs. Joe R. Steckley, another daughter Annie, a son Theodore, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, all of whom died in infancy.

Those surviving are: Chris, of Goshen, Ind., Joseph of Archbold, Ohio, William of Elkhart, Ind., John and Mary, Mrs. Mose Albrecht, of Bay Port, Mich., Lydia, Mrs. Sol Mayer, of Sarasota, Fla., Mrs. Fannie Yoder, Miss Laura, and Agnes, Mrs. Jesse Byler, of Pigeon, Mich.; 47 grandchildren; 110 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren, Donald and Douglas Showalter of Kalona, Ia.; and two brothers, Chris and Mahlon Swartzendruber of Kalona, Ia.

She accepted Christ as her Saviour in her youth, was received as a member of the Amish Mennonite church and remained faithful to the end. She was the last charter member of the Pigeon River Conservative Mennonite Church.

Mother was of a kind and loving disposition, enjoyed life and took things as they came. Eleven years ago she broke her hip and suffered much, but was always patient and was determined to walk again and did walk. At different times in the last few years she had spells of congestion on her lungs and the last one proved fatal. She left us at an early hour on Mother's Day. Her rocker is vacant, but her trials are over. "The Lord has given, the Lord has taken, Blessed be the name of the Lord." The many grandchildren and great-grandchildren will also miss her.

Funeral services were conducted May 15 at the Pigeon River Church by the brethren Emmanuel Swartzendruber, Willard Mayer and Earl J. Maust. Burial was made in the church cemetery.