Karber, Justina Cornelsen (1883-1955)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1955 Jun 2 p. 8

Birth date: 1883 Oct 22

text of obituary:

MRS. JUSTINA KARBER

Justina Karber, daughter of Henry and Regina Cornelsen, was born on Oct. 22, 1883, in Marion County, Kansas. Here she spent her early youth. Due to the hardships of pioneer life she received a very limited education. She had to work for others to help support the family.

At the age of 15 she realized her lost condition without Christ and accepted Him by faith as her personal Saviour. In October 1898 she was baptized and received into the fellowship of the Ebenfeld M. B. church. In this faith she was true to the end.

In 1899 the family moved to Oklahoma and settled on a farm southeast of Fairview. On Jan. 4, 1906, she was united in holy matrimony with our father, John D. Karber. This union was blessed with six children, four sons and two daughters.

In March 1906 they filed on a homestead in Texas county near Hooker, Okla. Here they established their home. God blessed the labors of their hands. In 1912 they moved to Inola, and in 1913 back to Fairview. She lived in this community to the end.

On Sept. 2, 1948, father was taken from her side in death. This was a time of trial and testing, but with God's grace she bore her grief without complaint. Together with Bertha she continued to life in the farm home until her death.

During her lifetime she experiences several sieges of illness, spending much time in hospitals, and hope for recovery seemed in vain. God restored her and during the last years her health was much better.

Last Sunday she attended church services as usual, and she visited and seemed quite cheerful. Upon arriving home in the early evening, she had just entered the gate in front of her home when she suffered a stroke and physical life was gone.

She departed this life on Sunday, May 15, at 7:15 p. m., reaching the age of 71 years, six months and 24 days. To her family this sudden parting is painful but we have the assurance that she is with the Lord. God in His divine wisdom makes no mistakes. We say with Job of Old, "The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken, Blessed be the Name of the Lord."

She was a loving mother and grandmother. Her loving deeds and her sacrifices will always be cherished in our memories. Her grandchildren were her special delight. Her passing leaves a void that cannot be filled.

Mourning her departure are three sons, John, Albert and Edwin; two daughters, Anna, Mrs. Frank Wichert, and Bertha, all of Fairview; one son-in-law, three daughters-in-law, and 12 grandchildren. One infant son and three grandchildren preceded her in death. She leaves three sisters, five brothers and a host of relatives and friends. — The Bereaved Family.