Kliewer, Matilda Suderman (1902-1974)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1974 Dec 26 p. 11

Birth date: 1902 Mar 31

text of obituary:

MATILDA SUDERMAN KLIEWER

Matilda Suderman Kliewer, daughter of Edward and Agnes Flaming Suderman, began this life at Corn, Okla. on March 31, 1902 and finished her course of love and labor Nov. 16, 1974. Her sojourn here on earth was 71 years.

Among her earliest recollections was the loss of her father through death on Feb. 12, 1905. Her educational training was received at the Enterprise and Sparta public schools.

At the age of 13 she came to a living faith in Jesus Christ and on July 25, 1915 was baptized with 18 other young people and received into the Mennonite Brethren Church of Corn, where she remained a faithful member all her life.

On Aug. 20, 1922 she married Willie Kliewer in a double wedding ceremony with her sister Anna and H. W. Vogt. The Lord blessed this union with four sons and two daughters. One son, Jacob, died in infancy.

Our parents settled on a farm northwest of Corn. Two years later they acquired a farm two miles west of Corn, the home place of her grandfather, H. A. Flaming. This was a happy home for them the rest of their lives.

Tragedy struck when father's life came to a sudden end accidentally in June 1963. Although bowed with grief, mother's faith and trust in God never wavered. She carried on heroically, remaining on the farm and engaging in such work and activity as she could manage. Much of her time was spent with her Lord in devotion, the study of God's Word and in prayer, and intercession for her family.

Mother enjoyed fair health most of her life. For a number of years she had suffered with emphysema, which caused severe breathing difficulties at times. She was hospitalized Nov. 4 after attending Sunday morning services the day before. She went home to be with the Lord on the morning of Nov. 16, 1974.

Surviving are her children, Elsie, and husband Herb Ratzlaff of Corn, John and wife Lillie of Weatherford, Roy and wife Maralea of Weatherford, Mildred and husband Norman Wichert of Fairview, and Allen and wife Lorraine of Denver, Colo., 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; two sisters, Lena Hiebert, Corn, and Anna and husband H. W. Vogt, Corn, and one sister-in-law, Mrs. Lydia Suderman, Weatherford. — The Family.