Neuschwander, Evanegeline Matthies (1916-2002)

"Mennonite Brethren Herald" obituary: 2002 Sep 28 p. 18

Birth date: 1916 Sep 28

text of obituary:

EVANGELINE NEUSCHWANDER

Evangeline Neuschwander passed away Nov. 11. She was born Sept. 28, 1916 to Gerhard and Sara Matthies in the Caucasus, Ukraine. The family immigrated to Gnadental. Man. in 1924. In 1926 her mother died. Her father married a widow with 2 daughters. In 1929 the family moved to Vineland, Ont. She had to go to work early in her teens to help support the family. After her father was hospitalized, she took responsibilities for the family, then in Virgil, Ont. In September 1937 she was baptized and joined Beamsville MB Church . She graduated from Winkler Bible School in 1944. She joined MCC in 1945, serving as matron of refugee centres in London, England and Roverstein, Netherlands, before going to Paraguay and Argentina. She married MCC worker Vernon Neuschwander in 1950. They returned to his farm in Oregon in 1951 and in 1959 moved to Elkhart, Ind., where Vernon worked in the printing department of Missions & Charities of the Mennonite Church. Wherever they moved, she served faithfully in Sunday school, DVBS and singing groups. In 1977 they moved to Greencroft Retirement Center in Goshen, Ind. Vernon died in September 1992. She married Paul McBrier in 1994. He died in 1998. She had a gift of hospitality and was a blessing to many. Predeceased by both husbands, son Marvin in 1955., and 1 brother, she is mourned by son John of Pennsylvania; 1 granddaughter; 1 sister and 2 stepsisters . The funeral was Nov. 16 in the Greencroft Center.