Regier, Emogene Helen Sperling (1937-1987)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1987 Aug 13 p. 8;

Birth date: 1937 Jun 13

text of obituary:

NEWTON & VICINITY

. . .

● A memorial service was held Aug. 9 at Zion Mennonite Church, Elbing, for Emogene Helen Regier, 50, who died July 31 at Samaritan Hospital, Warden, Wash., after an extended illness. Funeral services were held Aug. 4 at Warden (Wash.) Mennonite Church with Frank Horst officiating. She was a resident of Elbing from 1961 to 1978. She was active at Northview Developmental Services Inc., during her stay in Kansas. She is survived by her husband, Theodore J. Regier Jr.; a daughter, Michele H. Hara of Moses Lake, Wash.; two sons, Nathaniel J. Regier of Udell, Iowa, and Christopher B. Regier of Lakeland Village, Wash; her mother, Helen E. Sperling of Reedley, Calif,; one sister, Zillabell "Jane" Friesen of Dinuba, Calif.; one brother, Herbert P. Sperling Jr., of Buellton, Calif.; and two grandchildren.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1987 Oct 8 p. 11

text of obituary:

COMMUNITY NEWS

WARDEN, WASHINGTON September 28, 1987

After almost two years of being in a coma or a nearly comatose condition, Emogene Sperling Regier went peacefully home to be with the Lord July 31. Most of this time she had been cared for in the parsonage home by Pastor Ted Regier and aides. Among the helpers who generously gave of their time were Regier's daughter, Michelle, church members and friends.

Funeral services were held Aug. 4 at the church here, with burial in the Warden cemetery. A memorial was conducted Aug. 9 at the Regiers' former home church, Zion Mennonite, Elbing, Kan.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1987 Oct 22 p. 11

text of obituary:

EMOGENE HELEN REGIER

Emogene Helen Sperling Regier, 50, of Warden, Wash., died July 31, 1987, following an extended illness. Funeral services were held at the Warden Church on Aug. 4, 1987, with Frank Horst and Richard Bushman officiating. Interment was in the Sunset Memorial Gardens, Warden.

Memorial services were held Aug. 9, 1987, at the Zion Mennonite Church, Elbing, Kan., with Waldo Kaufman and Loris Habegger officiating.

She was born June 19, 1937, to Herbert P. and Helen Krause Sperling of Reedley, Calif. On April 2, 1952, she was baptized upon confession of faith in Jesus in the Kings River and was faithful to her Savior and Lord for the rest of her life. She graduated from Immanuel Christian Academy, Reedley, Calif.

On Aug. 5, 1960, she was married to Ted Regier Jr. A year later they moved to a farm near Elbing, Kan. Although she was a city girl, she learned to care for animals and drive tractors. She enjoyed cooking, baking and entertaining guests. Because her husband also taught school, she was left with much of the work during the day.

She was always concerned about the spiritual welfare of her children and believed it was important that her family regularly attend church services. As her younger son, Christopher, grew older, this became difficult due to his hyperactivity and retardation. When he was 10, she and her husband made the difficult decision to admit him to Parsons State Hospital.

She became involved in volunteer work at Northview Opportunity Center because Christopher was enrolled there for training. She served as secretary and then as a member of the board of directors.

In 1975 it was discovered she had a brain tumor. The tumor was removed and she underwent six weeks of cobalt therapy. She never fully recovered.

In 1977 the farm was sold and her husband entered study at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Ind., as he believed he was called to the ministry. While living in Elkhart, she began to have seizures again and had to give up driving the car. This was hard for her.

In 1981 her husband was called to serve the West Swamp Mennonite Church, Quakertown, Pa., where she enjoyed tying quilts with Mission Society women and visiting the elderly with her husband. She developed a number of friendships.

Later her husband was called to the Warden (Wash.) Mennonite Church, where she also made a number of friends and was accepted even with her limitations. She was a member of the Mission Society.

For the last two years of her life, she was helpless and was card for by her husband, her daughter, the women of the church and a nurse's aide.

She is survived by her husband, Ted J. Regier Jr.; a daughter, Michele and husband mark Hara; two sons, Nathaniel and wife Margaret of Udell, Iowa, and Christopher of Lakeland Village, Washs.; her mother, Helen Sperling of Reedley, Calif.; a sister, Jane Friesen, and a brother, Herbert P. Sperling of Buellton, Calif.; and two grandchildren.