Preheim, Sieglinda Waltner (1916-2008)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2008 Nov 24 p. 9

Birth date: 1916 May 29

text of obituary:

SIEGLINDA PREHEIM

Sieglinda Waltner Preheim, 92, of Freeman, S.D., died Oct. 28, 2008. She was born May 29, 1916, to Charley and Caroline (Schrag) Waltner in rural Marion.

She was baptized at Salem-Zion Mennonite Church on Sept. 10, 1933. She graduated from Freeman Academy in 1934. After three years of teaching rural elementary school in Turner County, she married Otto Preheim on June 1, 1938.

The family tended a grain and cattle farm seven miles southeast of Freeman. In addition to caring for her children, garden, chickens and milk cow, she dedicated time to her local church, Salem Mennonite. There she served as librarian, Sunday school teacher and Women’s Mission Society president. She was a faithful member of the Freeman Junior College and Academy Auxiliary, including a term as president.

Many guests and travelers were welcomed to her and Otto’s table. She enjoyed visiting and cheering confined or aged friends and family, writing distant mission workers and keeping a detailed weekly correspondence with her children who had settled far away. Her enduring faith, love of the Bible, music, poetry, reading and the church were evident in these letters. In the 1960s she accepted an assignment as editor of the Northern District Mennonite Conference bimonthly newsletter, The Northern Light. She faithfully carried out and enjoyed this duty for 25 years.

In 2002, she suffered three debilitating strokes and moved with her husband, Otto, to Oakview Terrace in Freeman. Her patient, kind and caring nature was evident to all.

Survivors include her husband of 70 years, Otto; four children, Ronald and Lois (Thieszen) Preheim of Aurora, Neb., Lyle and Lois (Janzen) Preheim of Freeman, Gayle and Jana (Fischer) Preheim of Monument, Colo., and Noreen and Ken Gingerich of Iowa City, Iowa; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Dell; a sister, Viola; five brothers-in-law and three sisters-in-law.

Her memorial service was held at Salem Mennonite Church of rural Freeman.