If this site was useful to you, we'd be happy for a small donation. Be sure to enter "MLA donation" in the Comments box.
Kaufman, Frieda (1883-1944)
Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1944 Aug 15 p. 1
Birth date: 1883 Oct 23
text of obituary:
Lebensskizze von Schwester Frieda
Schwester Frieda Kaufman schrieb die folgende Lebensskizze selber: “Ich wurde am 23. Oktober, 1883, zu Haagen, Baden, Deutschland, einige Meilen von der Schweizer Grenze, geboren. Das Wiesental, wo ich geboren wurde, war der Eingang zu dem für seine herrliche Szenerie berühmten Schwarzwald. Meine Eltern waren John und Marie Kaufman, geb. Egle. Ich war das jüngste von neun Kindern, von denen 3 Knaben und 3 Mädchen während einer Diphtheritis-Epidemie starben ehe ich geboren wurde. Diese schreckliche Krankheit, damals so gefürchtet, nahm manchmal alle Kinder eines ganzen Dorfes. Meine Eltern waren beide gebürtige Schweizer, und nach europäischen Regeln war ich ein Bürger der Schweiz bis ich Amerikanerin wurde. Ich kam nach Halstead, Kansas mit meinen Eltern und zwei älteren Schwestern, Lisette und Anna. Diese beiden waren später Frau John Mueller (und nachdem sie Witwe gewesen, ward sie Frau Richard Schirmer), und Frau Abr. K. Schowalter. Wir kamen am 2. Juli, 1892, nach Halstead und wurden dort bewillkommt und aufgenommen von Christian Wirklers. (Mr. Wirkler war Cousin meines Vaters.) Zunächst etablierten wir unser Heim in Halstead. Meine Mutter starb am 21. Juni, 1894. Dieses veränderten Verhältnissen anzupassen als meine beiden Schwestern bald darnach heirateten und mein Vater bei Frau Schowalter wohnte, oder besser, als Schowalters bei ihm wohnten. Gott hatte es alles so geplant, und es ist gut für eine Jungfrau das Joch frühzeitig zu tragen, wie es auch gut ist für einen Jüngling. Ich litt sehr am Heimweh für meine Mutter, und das half mir wahrscheinlich den Herrn Jesus Christus als meinen persönlichen Heiland anzunehmen als ich zwölf Jahre alt war. Das will sagen, daß die Bedeutung des Todes Christi am Kreuz mir in der Stunde klar und kostbar wurde. Dann besuchte ich den Katechismus-Unterricht geleitet von Aelt. Chr. Krehbiel, Leiter der Gemeinde, und er machte mir die Erlösungsgeschichte deutlicher und klarer. Ich schätze die Erinnerung an diese Sonntagnachmittagsstunden. Am 7. Juni, 1897, ward ich von Aelt. Chr. Krehbiel gestauft auf mein Glaubensbekenntnis; sein Mitprediger, David Goerz, hielt die Taufpredigt an dem Tage. Mein Leben war mit großer Freude und tiefem Schmerz gefüllt. Das Bitterste von allem war die stets zunehmende Erkenntnis, daß ich es so jämmerlich verfehlt habe, gemäß den großen Möglichkeiten, die durch die Gnade Gottes mein Leben umgaben, zu leben. Wie es andere fertig bringen können, bei zunehmendem Alter, ohne die Zusicherung und den Trost der Sündenvergebung, die am wunderbaren Kreuz vollbracht wurde, fortzuleben, das kann ich nicht verstehen. Ich bitte alle, denen ich irgendwie Unrecht angetan, um Vergebung. Ich bin dankbar, froh, und vollständig zufrieden in dem Vertrauen, daß Gott bis zum Ende der Laufbahn leiten wird.” — Die Heimgerufene litt schon mehrere Jahre an Herzschwäche und gab deswegen schon in 1943 das Amt als Oberin des Mutterhauses und Hospitals an Schwester Lena Mae ab. Sie diente aber bis zuletzt als Editor des Hospitalblattes “In the Service of the King”, welches vor drei Jahren von ihr ins Leben gerufen wurde. Am 7. August bekam sie einen Herzanfall und nach kurzer Zeit schwand die Seele. Das Begräbnis fand am 10. August statt. Bei der Feierlichkeit dienten die Prediger: J. E. Entz, A. J. Dyck, H. J.Dyck und P. P. Wedel, Glieder des Hospital Direktoriums. Die sterblichen Reste wurden auf dem Schwesternacker im Greenwood Cemetery bei Newton in die Erde versenkt. Aus der uns von ihr überreichten Sammelmappe diesen Vers von Gerok:
“Geh, o Mensch, und säe Taten
In den Acker deiner Zeit:
Deines Wohltuns edle Saaten
Reisen für die Ewigkeit.
Darfst du heut nicht Früchte schauen,
Lerne auf die Zukunft bauen:
Wenn schon lang dein Hügel grün,
Kann dir noch die Ernte blühn.”
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1944 Aug 10 p. 1
text of obituary:
DIED OF HEART ATTACK AT 5:55 P. M., MONDAY, AT DEACONESS HOME
A full life of outstanding and devoted service to suffering humanity came to a close quite suddenly and unexpectedly Monday, August 7, when Sister Frieda Kaufman, Deaconess Mother of the Bethel Deaconess Home and Hospital, died at 5:55 P. M. of heart attack.
Death came at the end of her usual day's activities, as she was resting on her bed in the Deaconess Home, at 427 Southeast Second street, late in the afternoon. She lapsed into unconsciousness about 20 minutes after the heat attack occurred, passing away in peaceful repose shortly afterward.
For considerable time Sister Frieda had suffered from a weak heart, although other ailments also became apparent in recent years. Throughout most of the time, however, she was able to follow her routine work and always maintained a keen interest in all affairs of the Bethel institutions.
Her last interest was in furnishing the third floor of the hospital annex which is now being completed and for which she had already selected most of the furniture.
Her life will be long remembered because of her extraordinary contribution to the advancement of the deaconess cause in the Mennonite church. There was only one main building standing when she was ordained as deaconess and became the sister-in-charge of the Bethel Deaconess Hospital on June 11, 1908. It was on that day that the hospital was dedicated. In succeeding years other buildings and institutions were added, — the Bethel Deaconess Home, the Nurses Home and Training School Building, the Bethel Home for Aged, and finally the annex now housing the Bethel Clinic — all of which are to a large extent the result of her vision and unselfish devotion to her life work.
Sister Frieda was born Oct. 23, 1883, at Haagen in Wiesental, Baden, Germany, the daughter of John and Marie Egle Kaufman, who were of Swiss citizenry. With her parents and three sisters she came to Halstead in 1892 and there received her public school education. Later she attended Bethel College and the deaconess Hospital Training School in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Four years before the Bethel Deaconess Hospital here was built, she engaged in private nursing in Newton and surrounding communities. After the local hospital was opened to the public in 1908, she, together with Sister Catherine and Sister Ida, took charge of the work in this institution to which she dedicated all of her later life.
She was superintendent of the hospital from 1908 to 1929 and again from 1932 to 1938, when she was relieved of the hospital administration by H. J. Andres, the present administrator. Also on June 23, 1943, the duties of sister-in-charge of the sisterhood were taken over by Sister Lena Mae Smith.
During the year 1934 Sister Frieda traveled in Europe after which she wrote her widely read book, "Auf Wanderwegen." In the spring of 1942 she was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by Bethel College.
Funeral services will be held this afternoon (Thursday) at 1:30 at the Sister Deaconess Home and at 2:30 at the First Mennonite church of which she was an active member and Sunday School teacher for many years. She reached the age of 60 years, nine months and 14 days. Several nieces and nephews survive.
Interment will be made in Greenwood cemetery under the direction of the Moody Funeral Home.
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1944 Aug 17 p. 5
text of obituary:
. . .
The funeral of Sister Frieda Kaufman at the First Mennonite church last Thursday afternoon was one of the largest held here in recent years. To accommodate the overflow crowd, a loud speaker was set up in the basement where approximately 200 had assembled to hear the service. Rev. J. E. Entz conducted the service at the chapel of the Sister's Home at 1:30. The Misses Bonnie Dirks, Leona Lohrenz and Lois Wenger presented a special number of music, singing one of Sister Frieda's favorite selections. At the church Rev. A. J. Dyck of Inman opened the service with scripture reading and prayer, while Rev. Entz read a tribute to Sister Frieda written by Mrs. Joanna Andres and a brief life sketch which Sister Frieda herself had written. Rev. H. J Dyck of Elbing delivered a gospel sermon and Dr. P. P. Wedel of Moundridge offered the closing prayer. Rev. J. E. Ents conducted the committal service in Greenwood cemetery, where a group of student nurses again sang "Saving Grace". Pall bearers were F. C. Andres, Ted Claassen, K. A. Richert, G. E. Willms, Carl K. Suderman and W. P. Wiens. Sister Frieda, evidently realizing that her departure was soon at hand, had fully arranged for the details of her funeral, which were also carried out according to her wishes.
The Mennonite obituary: 1944 Aug 15 p. 1
text of obituary:
Life Story of Sister Frieda
On August 7 Sister Frieda Kaufman went to her father in Heaven. The funeral was held in the First Mennonite Church, Newton, on August 10. Below we reprint her life story as written by [sic text truncated the next several paragraphs]
...had nursing in mind. After preliminary arrangements were completed, Frieda Kaufman was enrolled in the Deaconess hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, August 9, 1902, for a two year’s course in nursing. On November 14 of the same year, she received her deaconess garb and has since been known as Sister Frieda.
Sister Frieda graduated on August 9, 1904, and before the Bethel Deaconess hospital was built, she had four years of valuable experience as a pioneer private duty nurse in Newton and surrounding communities. This work opened the way for her into the homes and hearts of the rich and poor in all walks of life. She made many friends, and her life was enriched in a way that would have been impossible had the hospital position been ready for her when she came home from Cincinnati. During these years, she had charge of many household duties as well as the nursing responsibilities, and instead of working eight hours a day, she worked eighteen to twenty hours. But strenuous as private duty nursing was, our Sister enjoyed it for she possessed that which is so essential for such service — Love — love of God, love of fellowman and love of work. She realized that there is no joy in life to compare to the joy of being able to give help in time of distress and need. It has often been said that we get out of life what we put into it, and that probably explains why Sister Frieda enjoys life so much. Were we to ask her then or now, she would say that the price paid in service that she could render was not too great.
During this term of four years, the Bethel Deaconess Home and Hospital Society, which was organized in 1903, bought a plot of ground and erected the hospital Building. On June 11, 1908, the building was dedicated to the Lord to be used in His service. On the same day, Sister Frieda, Sister Catherine, and Sister Ida were ordained and installed into full-time service in the Bethel Deaconess hospital. For thirty-five years (June 11, 1908-Junc 11, 1943) Sister Frieda has served as sister-in-charge of our institution. She also was superintendent of the hospital from 1908 to 1929 and again from 1932 to 1938. Since September 1, 1938, Mr. H. J. Andres has relieved her of the responsibility of hospital administration.
Besides directing the work of tbc hospital here at home. Sister Frieda gave much time, thought, and direction to the Mountain Lake hospital and home for aged in their organization, growth, and development during the years of 1911 to 1930. Sister Frieda also solicited funds and planned the construction and method of operation of the Bethel home for aged of Newton, which was opened May 9, 1926.
In all her endeavors, we see her as a woman of keen insight and vision: but above all, we shall always think of her as a builder — a builder of houses and of lives. And we shall always treasure that which she has given us in print. We believe, that there is much more in store for us. Many have enjoyed her "Plaudereien.” Her gift of presenting experiences in such a picturesque way gives us joy as well as encouragement and help. And in her “Auf Wanderwegen”, we could all travel to Europe and enjoy with her that which she enjoyed. Truly, her life has been a rich one! How often we have heard her use the words of the Psalmist: “My lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places!’’ Ps. 16:6.
Sister Frieda has been a real mother to us in stimulating and guiding the growth and development of the sisterhood and in planning the activities of our entire household. We can never know the joys, griefs, and heartaches of a mother with such a large family, but in a measure we can appreciate them. God’s grace is always sufficient, and He has given her the talents, the love, the understanding of people, the ability to win their confidence, as well as the grace and wisdom to guide the lives of others. Many strangers, even salesmen who came to see Sister Frieda on business, have returned to tell us that they appreciated the kindness and the help that they received from her.
What her help and encouragement means to our workers, students, and sisters will only be revealed when all things are made known. In our humble way, we would offer our appreciation and gratitude to God and to our Sister. We would be faithful in rendering such service that will portray her ideal unto others. May the joy and blessing of the Lord be hers continually and may God and His love live on in the lives of all of us!
Sister Lena Mae Smith