Hess, Elmer D. (1885-1972)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1972 Feb 17 p. 6

Birth date: 1885

text of obituary:

Founder of Lancaster County, Pa. Church Dies at Age 87

Ephrata, Pa. — Funeral services for Rev. Elmer D. Hess, 87, were held Jan. 25 at the Emmanuel Mennonite Church, Reinholds, of which he was the founder and first pastor. Rev. Norman Geissinger and Rev. Walter D. Fry officiated.

Rev. Hess died Jan. 20 at the Lancaster General Hospital after being a patient there 11 days. He was a resident of United Zion Home near Lititz.

Rev. Hess was the oldest child of Mr. and Mrs. Abraham L. Hess, a pioneer family of Hesston, Kan. He served at the Chicago Home Mission as a young man, and later was ordained to the ministry at Selkirk, Ont. He served in the pastorate there for two years, and then served for 15 years of Masontown, Pa. and 11 years at Belleville, Pa. In 1938 he became the first pastor of the Emmanuel Church, continuing for 20 years. The congregation was organized in 1939 with 22 charter members, and later became a member of the Eastern District Conference.

Mrs. Hess, the former Mazie Musser, died in 1948. Survivors include four sons, Ernest D. of Rheems, J. Abram of Altamont, Kan., A. Allen of Denver, Pa., and Cleland W. of Phoenix, Ariz.; four daughters, Mrs. Anna Bitterman of Lancaster, Marian Hess of Ephrata, Mrs. Henry Hunsicker of Denver, and Mrs. Lowell Wealand of Stevens, Pa.; nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Abram L. of Wichita, Kan. and Claude of Concordia, Kan.; and three sisters, Mary and Jennie Hess of Hesston, and mrs. Rollin Erb of Seaside, Calif.

The Mennonite obituary: 1972 Feb 29 p. 151