Habegger, Alfred (1892-1956)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Jan 26 p. 1

Birth date: 1892 Jul 26

text of obituary:

Veteran Missionary To Indians Died

REV. ALFRED HABEGGER SERVED AMONG NORTHERN CHEYENNE FOR 38 YEARS

Lame Deer, Mont. — Funeral services for Rev. Alfred Habegger, 63, missionary to the Northern Cheyenne Indians for 38 years, were held at the Petter Memorial Mennonite Church here on Jan. 21.

Death came at a Billings, Mont. hospital Jan. 17 after several months of ill health due to a heart ailment.

The services were in charge of a son-in-law, Rev. Herbert Fretz of Freeman, S. D., assisted by Rev. Willard Wiebe of Mt. Lake, Minn., representing the General Conference Board of Missions, and Rev. Milton Whiteman. A group of Cheyenne Christians sang "God Is Faithful."

Rev. Habegger, a native of Berne, Ind. and member of the First Mennonite Church there, was a graduate of Bethel College in Kansas and received the Master's Degree after a year of study at Bluffton, College, Ohio.

He and Mrs. Habegger, the former Barbara Hirschy came to this field in 1918 and have labored here ever since. He was one of the few General Conference workers able to preach in the Cheyenne language. At the time of his death he was chairman of the General Conference Mission to the Cheyennes in Montana.

Surviving are his wife; six children, Dr. Marden Habegger of Reedley, Calif., Rev. David Habegger of Allentown, Penn., Mrs. Esther Sauder of Reseda, Calif., Mrs. Jeanne Boehr of Chicago. Mrs. Helen Fretz of Freeman, S. D., and Lois Ruth of Meadows, ill.; one brother and five sisters, and 19 grandchildren.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Feb 2 p. 8

text of obituary:

REV. ALFRED HABEGGER

Rev. Alfred Habegger was born on July 26, 1892, near Berne, Ind., the son of David and Elizabeth Habegger.

In 1908 he was baptized upon confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior in the First Mennonite Church of Berne. He was married to Barbara Hirschy on August 17, 1913.

Having been called by God to enter missionary work, the prepared themselves and graduated from Bethel College in 1916. He was granted the master's degree after a year of post-graduate work at Bluffton College.

In March 1918 Bro. Habegger was ordained as minister and on June 1, 1918, he and his wife and baby son arrived in Busby, Mont. to begin a life of missionary work among the Cheyenne Indians.

He diligently learned the Cheyenne language that all might understand the Word he preached. In 1919 they moved to Birney Mission for a year, but thereafter returned to Busby for many years of service. Many will remember his messages, his singing, his counseling, and his Sunday trips by horseback to the tent church up the river near Kirby.

Seven children were born to Rev. and Mrs. Habegger: Marden, Jeanne, Helen, Esther, David, Lois, and Bernhard who died in infancy.

In 1949 they moved to the Lame Deer Mission where they have ministered to the present time. On Jan. 17, 1956, Bro. Habegger completed his work when he helped Mrs. Grace Scalpcane plan a program. The same day he was called to his eternal heavenly Home, after 38 years of service for the Lord among the Cheyennes of Montana.

The Mennonite obituary: 1956 Feb 7 p. 90