Musselman, Minerva Landis (1879-1953)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Apr 9 p. 6

Birth date: 1879 Aug 14

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Apr 23 p. 9

text of obituary:

MRS. MINERVA MUSSELMAN

Minerva Landis Musselman was born in Philadelphia, Penn., August 14, 1879 to George and Susanna Landis. She died at the Bethel Home for Aged in Newton, Kansas, April 7, 1953.

She became a member of the First Mennonite Church of Philadelphia in 1894, during the pastorate of Rev. N. B. Grubb. As a young woman she was part of a group that was very active in all phases of the life and work of the church.

On June 16, 1903 she was married to Rev. S. M. Musselman, then pastor of the Wayland and Eicher churches in Iowa. For 35 years she shared with him the work and joys of the ministry in churches in Wayland, Iowa, Bluffton, Ohio, Pretty Prairie, Kans., Wichita, Kans., and Hillsboro, Kans. As her children grew older she became more active as a Sunday school teacher and leader in women's activities.

Because of her husband's connection with the Foreign Mission Board she was personally acquainted with many of the conference mission workers and interested in their work and their problems. She participated in forming the General Conference organization of mission societies and wrote the story of the development of women's missionary societies in the Western District Conference.

Following her husband's death in 1938 she remained faithful in her church activities until failing health prevented her.

During her years of illness she endured much suffering. In 1950 she became a resident of the Bethel Home for the Aged in Newton. The loving care of the Sisters and the workers in the home helped to comfort her loneliness and pain.

She was preceded in death by her husband and one granddaughter. Those who remain to cherish her memory are her children: Dwight L. and Fairy Berry Musselman of Geneva, Ohio. Vivienne Musselman of Toledo, Ohio, Erwin E. and Frances Schrag of Pretty Prairie, Kansas, George and Della Stucky Musselman of Englewood, Colorado and five grandchildren.

Her death came as a release into a better life, and while those who cherish her grieve because she is gone, they must also rejoice because her sorrow is past.

"The strife is o'er, the battle done;
The victory of life is won;
The song of triumph has begun.
Alleluia!"