Heidebrecht, Katherina Thiessen (1872-1948)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1948 Jan 29 p. 3, 6

Birth date: 1872 Jan 14

text of obituary:

MRS. HENRY A. HEIDEBRECHT

Katherina (Thiessen) Heidebrecht, daughter of Jacob Thiessen and Sara (Janzen) Thiessen, was born January 14, 1872, in Rudnerweide, South Russia. At the age of three she came to America with her parents, and settled in Harvey county, Kansas. Here she received her schooling and here she grew to womanhood. It was here too that she received her catechetical instruction from Elder Heinrich Toews, by whom she later was baptized upon her own confession of faith in Jesus Christ as her personal Savior, on June 15, 1890.

In the year 1892, on the eighth day of January, she was united in holy matrimony to Henry A. Heidebrecht, the nuptial knot being tied by Elder Dietrich Gaeddert. In the same year she transferred her membership to the Hoffnungsau church, where she remained a faithful member the remaining days of her life.

To this union were born nine children, of whom seven are still living and two have preceded their mother in death: Heinrich, who died in infancy, and Bertha, Mrs. H. B. Neufeld, who departed this life in 1927, leaving behind her bereaved husband with four small children. Also preceding her in death was a son-in-law, J. W. Wiens, who passed away in 1939.

Like the life span of many a mother, her life contained a rich combination of days of joys and days of trials and hardship. One of the great longings of her heart was that not a one of her children would be lost, but that all might be among those who would hear the summons of the Master: “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord.”

She found great joy in being regular at church attendance, and in being there at or before the appointed time. She kept careful record of many events, and here she noted especially what was said concerning God's Word, recording many texts that had been used by ministers of the Gospel; poems, also, were clipped or copied, which she found especially uplifting and helpful. From these records, too, has been gathered much of the information for this brief story.

She lived most of her life on the farm, being a lover of the great out-of-doors, and enjoyed working with the things of nature. Her early years she lived to Harvey county, and also the first few years of married life lived there. In 1898 the family moved to McPherson county, near Inman, where they lived until 1945. They then moved to Inman, retiring from active farm work, and lived there a brief two and one-half years, until death summoned her.

It was a happy privilege to celebrate both the silver wedding and golden wedding anniversaries together; then five years later it was again our privilege to celebrate the 55th wedding anniversary together with the family and with friends.

These years now seem short, for they have been full of joy and hard work; there have also been days of trials, and there have come experiences that brought pain and heartache. Through it all, however, she clung to her faith, and already weeks before her death summons came, she expressed her readiness to go to be with her Lord, if that was the will of the Father above. Her motto of life was, "Meine Seele ist stille zu Gott der mir hilft." (My soul quietly waits upon the Lord, who giveth help.)

Now she may rest from her labors, and the words of the German poet find their fulfillment:

“Hier sind die Sieges Palmen
     Hier ist das weisze Kleid
Hier singt man freuden Psalmen
     Im Frieden nach dem Streit.
Hier sind die reiche Graben
     Hier gruenet das Gebein
Die Sieger die da sterben
     Im ewgen Fruhling's schein.”

She suffered considerable illness, which was often accompanied with severe pain. Ever since she became suddenly ill in 1930 with a heart attack, she had been sickly; later this illness developed into sugar diabetes, and high blood pressure resulted in a stroke which brought paralysis and left several organs impaired.

She was taken to the hospital, but it was clear that no human help could cure her; the last several days she lay in the McPherson hospital, and it was here that the angel of death came on January 16, at eleven o'clock in the evening. Quietly, and without any struggle, she passed over to the Other Shore, there to be with her Master. She reached the age of 76 years and two days, and as we look back upon her days we must say that many were her days that were bright with the star of the Heavenly Hope.

She leaves to mourn her departure her husband, Henry A. Heidebrecht; five sons, Herman P. of Inman, Ben L. of Neosho Falls, Peter D, of McPherson, and Jacob R. and Ernest P. of Inman; two daughters, Elizabeth, Mrs. J. W. Wiens who with her son lives in Inman; and Katie, Mrs. D. P. Wiens, who with her husband and children lives near Inman. Also the H. B. Neufeld family, whose first wife was a third daughter, Bertha, who died in 1927. She leaves also two brothers, Jacob Thiessen of Meade, Kansas, and Missionary John Thiessen and family of India; and one sister, Mrs. John J. Pauls, of Meade. — The bereaved family.