Koehn, Lizzie Dirks (1878-1937)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1937 Sep 8 p. 2

Birth date: 1878 Mar 18

text of obituary:

Mrs. Lizzie Koehn

Our beloved mother Lizzie Koehn, nee Dirks, was born march 18, 1878, near Pawnee Rock, Kans. She passed away on Aug. 19, at one o'clock in the afternoon near Copeland, Kansas, having reached the age of 59 years, 5 months and one day.

Our mother was in poor health for about two years. On Aug. 18 she became very ill and medical aid was called. But the Lord called her to the great beyond on the next day. The main cause of her death was chronic intestinal nephritis. During her suffering she could not rest in bed and much of her time was spent sitting in a rocking chair, in which she also passed away.

She was converted at the age of 16 years, and was added to the church fellowship in the year of 1894, near Durham, Kans. The storms of life have frequently beat upon her house, that she has had hard struggles through life.

On Nov. 8, 1902, she joined in matrimony with Ben W. Koehn and they established a home near Durham, Kans. In the year of 1916 they moved to Cimarron, Kans., and lived there till1 1926, when they moved to Copeland, Kans. Here they lived until she passed away. Their married life of 35 years was blessed with eight children, one daughter and 7 sons, of which two sons preceded her in death.

She leaves to mourn her beloved husband, one daughter Katie, now Mrs. Paul J. Petri, Vallejo, Calif.; Sam, Jacob, and Earnest, Copeland, Kans.; John of Ringwood, Okla., and Ben of Montezuma; four brothers, George and Frank Dirks, Winton, Calif.; David Dirks, Goltry, Okla.; Cornelius Dirks, Greensburg; one sister Matilda Dirks, who at present stayed with the family, and cared for her sister.

We commit the dear mother into the hands of a merciful and righteous God.

Funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Jacob Yost of Copeland, Kans., at the Montezuma Mennonite church. The remains were laid to rest in the nearby cemetery.