Koehn, Eva Buller (1862-1951)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 Jul 26 p. 9

Birth date: 1862 Mar 25

text of obituary:

EVA BULLER KOEHN

Eva Buller Koehn was born on March 25, 1862, in the villiage [sic] Antinofa [sic Antonofka], Poland, and passed away June 16 at 4:10 a.m., reaching the age of 89 years, two months and 22 days. At the age of 11 years she with her parents, the Henry Buller family, moved to America, where they settled first in McPherson Co., Kansas. Poverty and economic hardships prevailed in those pioneer days as they struggled for a livelihood.

She was baptized upon confession of her faith in Christ Jesus when she was 16 years of age. At the age of 20 she was joined in holy matrimony with Tobias T. Koehn, also born in Poland. The following year, in March 1883, they moved to a new settlement in Marion Co., Kansas. Here all their nine children were born and raised, and during the following 30 years they enjoyed a prosperous and happy life, both temporally and spiritually. By frugality and diligence they succeeded in not only securing a good home, but also were able to render material aid to their children.

On Sept. 2, 1913, they with most of their children moved to Winton, Calif. Here they again established a comfortable home and enjoyed 18 years of companionship together. Her husband passed away April 7, 1931, leaving her a lonely widow for a period of over 20 years.

She is the mother of the late Rachel Dirks of Kansas, Frank and Ben Koehn, also of Kansas, Joel and Gus Koehn and Mrs. Noah Koehn of Winton, Calif., and Mrs. Hanna Dirks of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Also surviving are 44 grandchildren, 95 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Two sons, Emil and David Koehn, preceded her.

All her life she was a noble example of an unmoveable [sic] faith in her Redeemer. Whenever possible she would testify for her Master, and encourage her children to set their house in order. She is now gone from whence none as yet have returned, [sic phrase repeated in original] but will there wait to meet her loved ones again at the right hand of the Father.

Funeral services were conducted in the First Church of Winton, where a great number paid their last respects to the departed one. Rev. M. D. Hilty, pastor of the Bethel church of Winton, spoke words of comfort to the bereaved ones from Psalm 90. Burial followed in the Winton cemetery beside her husband, after a brief service there. Frank Koehn, her eldest son from Kansas, her daughter Hannah Dirks of Idaho, and Mrs. Dirks’ daughter-in-law, Edna Dirks of Idaho, were present at the funeral. — The bereaved family.