Patzkowsky, Mary Krause (1879-1963)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1963 Jul 25 p. 8

Birth date: 1879 Nov 4

text of obituary:

MARY KRAUSE PATZKOWSKY

Mary Krause Patzkowsky was born to Jacob and Agatha Reimer Krause on Nov. 4, 1879 in Woodson County, Kan. She was called to her eternal Home Thursday, July 4, 1963, at the age of 83 years and eight months.

In her early years she attended elementary school in Marion County, Kansas. Later upon the opening of the “Cherokee Strip,” she moved with her parents to Oklahoma. They lived southeast of Fairview.

Accepting Christ as her Master in her youth, mother learned to know the comfort of the forgiveness of sins, of a blessed hope in time of darkness, and a quiet courage in time of sickness.

On Easter Sunday, May 11, 1899, she entered holy matrimony with August F. Patzkowsky, sharing with him the joys and sorrows of life for nearly 50 years. She prayerfully loved and cared for the two sons which he brought to their home, and for the three sons and one daughter born to their marriage. Mother's ultimate joy was service to her family in her home.

Because of our father's ministry in the church, it was her privilege to give hospitality in her home to many friends and strangers.

In 1942 when our father suffered a first stroke, mother gave her selfless and devoted care to him. For seven years after this, and especially during the last three years when he was entirely bedfast, she prayed to God for needed physical strength to care for him to the end. That these prayers were answered was for her a lasting joy. After our father's death in 1949, she left the farm homestead and moved into her new home located in Fairview.

She loved to be in her own home and care for it herself, and it was while taking care of her yard that she fell and experienced a hip fracture which required surgery. After five weks [sic] of convalescing in the hospital she fell again, this time breaking the other hip, and she again had to undergo surgery. Although it was not expected that she would ever again be able to get around without a wheelchair, she did walk again to care for herself and find contentment in the Fellowship Home.

About eight months ago it became apparent that her strength was waning, We knew that she shared the confidence as expressed by Paul: “Then shall I know fully even as I was fully known.”

Mother was preceded in death by the two oldest sons in our family, Ted and Albert Patzkowsky, and two grandsons, Edsel Gene Patzkowsky and Marvin Fast.

She leaves her children, Wesley and Faye and family of Baltimore, Md.; Edna and P. E. Schellenberg and family of Newton, Kan.; Ruben and Esther and family of Fairview; Bryan and Viola and family of Isabella, Okla., Elizabeth and Henry J. Fast and family of Fairview; and Marie, Mrs. Albert Patzkowski [sic Patzkowsky] and family of Fairview.

Mother also leaves brothers and sister, Lydia, Mrs. Charles Hitchcock of Shafter, Calif., Jacob Krause of Bakersfield, Calif., Henry Krause of Wasco, Calif., Pete Krause of Bakersfield, Helen, Mrs. Burnis Cook of Shafter, Calif., and Anna, Mrs. John L. Just of Reedley, Calif.; ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, and a wide circle of relatives and friends. — The Family.