Horst, Ida Gladys Eshleman (1914-2008)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2008 Jun 9 p. 9

Birth date: 1914 Mar 29

text of obituary:

IDA HORST

Ida Gladys Horst, 94, of Hesston, Kan., died May 19, 2008, at Schowalter Villa. She was born March 29, 1914, to Adam and Cora (Grove) Eshleman in Hagerstown, Md.

She moved to Harrisonburg, Va., as a teenager and then went to York, Pa., for nurse’s training. She practiced nursing in Onego, W.Va., for two years and then did private-duty nursing until she married Clarence A. Horst on June 4, 1937, in Harrisonburg.

They lived in Maryland and Virginia before moving to Mountain Home, Ark., in 1945 to work in community development and church planting. They also served in Twin Falls, Idaho, as a pastoring couple before moving to Hesston in 1963. She was an active member of Hesston Mennonite Church. She returned to nursing school at age 54 and had a career in nursing for 15 years at Bethel Deaconess Hospital in Newton. After retiring to Schowalter Villa, she remained active in church and volunteer work. In the past three-and-a-half years, she continued her ministry to caregivers and friends who frequented her room at the Villa.

Survivors include two daughters: Ruby Sawin and her husband, Tom, of Hesston and Twila Van Rossun and her husband, Rick, of rural Newton; two sons, Donald Horst and his wife, Rachel, of rural Newton and Roy Horst of Naples, Fla.; nine grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence, on Nov. 21, 1982; by a son, Delmar Horst; and by a grandson.

Burial was in East Lawn Cemetery, followed by a memorial service at Schowalter Villa Chapel.