Lehman, Elbert Orva (1894-1965)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1966 Feb 3 p. 11

Birth date: 1894 Mar 16

text of obituary:

ELBERT ORVA LEHMAN

Elbert Orva Lehman, son of William H. and Mary (Loganbill) Lehman, was born in the Bethel Mennonite community near Versailles, Morgan County, Missouri on March 16, 1894. He spent his entire life in this community, moving with his parents at the age of 10 to the farm home near Bethel Church where he lived the rest of his life.

He was baptized upon confession of faith on April 10, 1914, and received into the membership of the Bethel Mennonite Church, in which he served in church, Sunday school and youth group offices in his earlier years, and remained a member until his sudden departure at his farm home at 3:15 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, 1965.

He was united in marriage to Mabel Milburn at the parental Milburn home on Sept. 8, 1929, and together they shared joys and sorrows from depression days to plentiful days for over 36 years. He was a lover of children, but there were no children born to them, and the great joy of their home was to love and be as mother and father to Jim Milburn, their nephew, who came to them in 1947 at the age of three, and also to have Jim’s little brother Mike with them for the past two summers.

He was a farmer and stockman at heart and had interest in his community. He became a charter member of the Morgan County Historical Society, and was much interested in helping the society secure a museum building for historical items. He enjoyed normal health until about two months ago, when a heart condition developed that was the cause of his sudden death in his easy chair at the farm home, reaching the age of 71 years, eight months, and 24 days.

He was preceded in death by his only sister, Otilla, who lived only 10 days after birth, and by his parents. He leaves to mourn: his wife Mabel; the nephew, Jim Milburn, who teaches school at Houston, Mo.; three sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law, two nieces and six nephews, many cousins, plus the fellowship of the church, his neighbors, and many friends.

Funeral services were held at Bethel Mennonite Church at 2 p.m., Dec. 13, with Rev. Abraham Friesen officiating. Mrs. Ivan Loganbill and Mrs. Dale Hoffstetler sang “Take Thou My Hand O Father,” “O Have You Not Heard of That Beautiful Stream” and “The Lights of Home,” accompanied at the organ by Mrs. Burton Groth. Interment was made in the church cemetery.

The Mennonite obituary: 1966 Feb 15 p. 116