Loewen, Merrill (1929-1942)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1942 Sep 10 p. 5

Birth date: 1929

text of obituary:

Local News

. . .

— As we were about to go to press word reached us of an unusually sad tragedy near Marion, Wednesday afternoon, where Ernest W. Hiebert, grade school principal at Hillsboro, and two of his pupils, Merrill Loewen and Elvin Enns were drowned in the Cottonwood river. Merrill was a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Loewen and Elvin a son of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Enns. Mr. Hiebert and a party of seventh and eight grade boys went on a picnic at a place usually considered safe for bathing and swimming. The river, however, was up from the recent rains and the two boys were swept away by the current. Mr. Hiebert plunged in to save them and although he was considered a good swimmer, he too was swept away. Some of the other boys got into Mr.Hiebert's car, drove to two farm houses but found no one at home. As soon as the alarm was spread in Marion help was rushed out, but by the time the bodies were recovered they were past reviving. Mr. Hiebert had taken also his little boy along to the picnic, who cried pitifully at seeing his daddy drown. Principal Hiebert, about 36, was a son of Mr. and Mrs. P. A. Hiebert. He is survived by his wife and two small children. When and where the funeral will be held has evidently not been decided.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1942 Sep 17 p. 1

text of obituary:

Funerals of Teacher And Pupils Held Saturday and Sunday

VICTIMS OF DROWNING ARE LAID TO REST FROM HILLSBORO MENN. CHURCHES

Hillsboro, Kansas. — It was a sad week-end for this community when Ernest W. Hiebert, local grade school principal and two of his pupils, Merrill Loewen and Elvin Enns, all of whom drowned in the Cottonwood river last week, were laid to rest from local Mennonite churches on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 12 and 13.

Funeral services for Mr. Hiebert were held at the First Mennonite church Saturday forenoon, while the services for Elvin Enns were held at the same church Sunday afternoon. Rev. H. T. Unruh, pastor of the church officiated.

The funeral for Merril [sic Merrill] Loewen on Saturday afternoon took place at the Mennonite Brethren church.

All three were victims of an unexpected swift current in the Cottonwood river near Marion, where the school party went for an outing Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 9. The principal lost his life trying to rescue the two lads who were among the first to enter the water but had gone in where the river was too deep. Attempts at resuscitation by doctors who later rushed to the scene were of no avail.

Merrill Loewen was the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Loewen, while Elvin Enns was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Enns. Both were about 13 years old. Mr. Hiebert is survived by his wife and two small children.