Horst, Menno (1920-1946)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1946 Dec 5 p. 1

Birth date: 1920 Apr 13

text of obituary:

Fumes From Heater Fatal To Family Of Three in California

MR. AND MRS. MENNO HORST AND 5-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER VICTIMS IN TRAGEDY

Ontario, Calif. — Funeral services took place at the Brethren in Christ church of Uplan [sic Upland] on Nov. 21 for the three members of one family who met death at their home here the night of Nov. 14 when suffocated by fumes from a gas heater in their bedroom. The deceased are Menno Horst, 26, his wife, Allene, 24 and their five-year-old daughter, Evelyn Joan.

Another daughter, Eleanor, 13 months old, escaped probable death because she was spending the night at the home of her great-grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. B. P. Swartzendruber of Upland.

Mrs. Horst was the daughter of George H. and Ida Beare, missionaries to the Central provinces, India, since 1926. She had lived in India from the age of five until about six years ago. Mr. Horst was the son of Mrs. L. K. Horst of Upland and is survived by five sisters.

Discovered By Relative

The tragedy was not discovered until the evening of Nov. 15 when a relative of the Horsts, Mrs. Roy Roth of Upland, called at the home and, unable to arouse anyone, summoned police officers.

Relatives stated that the Horsts had just recently purchased the bedroom heater and had probably gone to bed with windows closed and the flame turned high due to the fact that Mr. Horst and his daughter were suffering from colds.

(A full report of the funeral service and obituaries of Mr. and Mrs. Horst and daughter will be printed in next week's Review.)

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1946 Dec 12 p. 3

text of obituary:

Last Rites For Family of Three Who Died In Tragic Accident

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Review is indebted to Mrs. E. L. Guengerich of Upland, Calif., for the following account of the funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. Menno Horst and small daughter. Mrs. Guengerich also wrote the obituaries of the three deceased.

Approximately 600 friends and relatives gathered at the Brethren in Christ church of Upland, California, on Nov. 21 at 2 p. m., to pay final tribute to the members of the Menno Horst family — Menno, Allene, and their daughter, Evelyn Joann — who were accidentally asphyxiated in their home on Friday, Nov. 15, 1946.

The officiating ministers were Rev. John Leatherman and Rev. Sherman Maust of the Alpine Mennonite church, Upland, Rev. Alvin C. Burkholder of the Brethren in Christ church and Bishop J. P. Bontrager of the Mennonite church at Atwater, California.

The church was filled to capacity for the unusually touching service. The opening Scripture, read by Rev. Leatherman, was preceded by the song, "Silently Bury the Dead," rendered by the Brethren in Christ church quartet — Mrs. Ralph Byer, Mrs Jesse Lady, A. L. Eshelman, and H. R. Alderfer.

The obituaries, read by Rev. Alvin S. Burkholder, were followed by the song, "Gathering Buds" sung by the "Melody Messengers" Quartet of Beulah College, upland — the Misses Ethel Reeser, Ardys Byer, Joyce Markley, and Lillian Musser.

The beautifully touching remarks by Rev. Sherman Maust, picturing vividly the joys of heaven, where little children abound "playing in the streets therof," and the sobering and inspiring sermon by Rev. J. P. Bontrager, were interspersed by two musical numbers, "The Pearly White City," by the church quartet, and "How Beautiful Heaven Must Be," by the Melody Messengers. "The Pearly White City" was among Mrs. Horst's favorite songs, and she was planning to sing it as member of a trio for a special program at the Alpine Mennonite church, to be held Dec. 6,. 1946.

The new Mennonite church building, now under construction on Campus Avenue, Upland, will contain a memorial of the sad passing of this beloved family.

Rev. J. P. Bontrager and Rev. Alvin C. Burkholder, both of whom were intimate friends and sympathetic councellors [sic] of the Horsts, gave warm expressions of appreciation for the frequent occasions they had to meet with the two young people for spiritual counsel and encouragement. Amid the difficult struggles of life, their tender and eager hearts felt the desire for God's best, and the need of prayers of God's people, that they might remain victorious and that God's plan for their children should be realized.

Pall bearers for Allene Horst were Glenn Franklin, Earl Musser, Wayne Book, Eldon Bert, Dwight Bert, Orville Bert, Bearers for Evelyn Joann were Glenn Stoner, Willard Maust, Farrell Hostetler, and Paul Trautwein. Bearers for Menno Horst were Menno Stoner, Marion Shetler, Elmer Hershberger, Guy Hostetler, Dick Bauckman and Robert Groff.

Persons attending the funeral from out-of-state were Will Beare, Ashland, Oregon; Mr. and Mrs. Walter Kurtz, Columbia, Pa.; Mr. and Mrs. Claude Hostetler and sons, Phillip and Stephen, Scottdale, Pa.; also large groups of friends and relatives from Pasadena, Los Angeles and Whittier.

Interment in Bellevue Cemetery was preceded by the committal service by Revs. Burkholder and Bontrager, and the song, "Just Inside the Eastern Gate," rendered by the combined Church and Messengers' Quartets.

The many and varied expressions of sympathy from a host of friends and relatives have been deeply appreciated by the respective families. Rev. Alvin Burkholder voiced this appreciation in behalf of the bereaved.

MENNO LEHMAN HORST

Menno Lehman Horst, son of Sister Alice Horst and the late Bro. Lehman K. Horst, was born in Chambersburg, Pa., on April 13, 1920, and departed this life Nov. 15, 1946, at Ontario, California, at the age of 26 years, six months and two days. Menno, his wife and daughter Evelyn Joann met their death due to carbon monoxide gas accumulating from a gas heater in the tightly closed home.

At the age of nine years Menno accompanied his parents to Upland, Calif., where he attended the Upland public schools and Beulah College. At the age of 13 years he confessed faith in Christ and united with the Mennonite church at North Pomona, Calif. Menno spent nearly a year in the service of his country, receiving honorable discharge on July 15, 1946.

On August 25, 1940, Menno was united in marriage to Allene Beare. They shared married life happily together and recently expressed the desire that if one should be taken they might both depart together. To this union were born two daughters, Evelyn Joann and Eleanor Louise.

Evelyn Joann was taken in death with her father and mother, leaving Eleanor Louise as sole survivor of the immediate family. He also leaves his mother, Mrs. Alice Horst, of Upland; five sisters, Mrs. Harold Bucher, Wisconsin, Mrs. Walter Kurtz, Pennsylvania, Mrs. Floyd Eason, Ontario, Mrs. Claude Hostetler, Pennsylvania, and Mrs. Lyle Weaver, Livingston, California; and many other relatives and friends.