Keller, Martha Fretz (1887-1951)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 Mar 22 p. 9

Birth date: 1887 Aug 30

text of obituary:

MARTHA FRETZ KELLER

Martha Fretz Keller, daughter of Francis and Maggie Fretz, was born August 30, 1887, in Bedminster township, Bucks county, Pa. She was baptized on confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Savior, and received into the membership of the Deep Run Mennonite congregation of the Eastern Conference by Minister Allen M. Fretz, her uncle, on October 20, 1900.

On June 11, 1913, she was married to Erwin F. Keller of Bedminster township. On July 4, 1915, a daughter, Myrtle, was born but lived only two and a half years, meeting a sad and sudden death on May 25, 1918. They and a stepdaughter, Dorothy, resided with her parents, farming the homestead, until July 8, 1943, when they moved to the town of Perkasie.

Martha was a Christian devoted to her home and congregation. She was Deep Run organist from 1906 to 1915, and again from 1927 to 1930. For many years she was a Sunday school teacher and a worker in the Mission Aid Society. Since moving to Perkasie she had attended the local Bethel congregation, but spent much time at home caring for her invalid father and mother.

In the spring of 1950 she began to decline in health. Her last weeks were spent at a nursing home at Quakertown. During this time her constant wish was that she might go home to Heaven. She fell asleep Sunday evening, March 4, 1951, at the age of 63 years. Her mother preceded her in death on June 17, 1949. Her husband, her father, and her stepdaughter, Mrs. George Smith of Telford remain.

The funeral was held Saturday March 10, at the Deep Run meetinghouse. Pastor J. Herbert Fretz preached from Philippians 1:21, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain," the text chosen by her before her decease. The burial was in the adjoining cemetery.

The Mennonite obituary: 1951 Apr 10 p. 243