Hein, Marie Suderman (1899-2005)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2005 Jun 13 p. 8

Birth date: 1899 Sep 11

text of obituary:

MARIE SUDERMAN HEIN

Marie Suderman Hein, 105, 0f Fairview, Okla., died May 26, 2005. She was the oldest living member of the Mennonite Brethren Conference in the United States. She was born Sept. 11, 1899, to Dan and Margaret Becker Suderman on a farm southeast of Fairview.

She trusted Christ for salvation and was baptized on her birthday, Sept. 11, 1918, and received into membership at Sued-Hoffnungsfeld Mennonite Brethren Church near Fairview.

She married David Hein on April 24, 1921, on the Suderman farm.

After several years they moved to the Grunau farm two miles south and three miles east of Fairview. After eight years on the Grunau farm, they moved back to the home on the outskirts of Fairview. This farm provided their livelihood through the years.

Beginning about 1944 they noticed that David was suffering an ailment, which was later diagnosed as Parkinson's Disease. This disease took its gradual toll, and they retired from the farm and moved into Fairview in 1959. As his physical condition worsened, it was necessary to move into Fairview Fellowship Home in 1970. He preceded her in death on January 11, 1975.

She remained in Fellowship Home and occupied the same room for 35 years. She was often ill, but many times during the last 15 years she defied all odds and recovered from numerous ailments.

As she and her husband enjoyed celebrations such as their 40th and 50th wedding anniversaries, so she also enjoyed celebrating the many birthdays observed in her behalf.

She was the oldest-ever member of Fairview Mennonite Brethren Church and was a member of the congregation for 87 years.

Survivors include a son, Marvin Hein and his wife, Mary Helen, of Fresno, Calif.; a daughter, Frances Wahl and her husband, Lyndon, of Fairview; two sisters-in-law; 10 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceding in death by her husband and six sisters and brothers.