Regier, Virgil Lee (1936-1957)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Aug 8 p. 1

Birth date: 1936 Jan 7

text of obituary:

Two Young Men Drowned In Lake Erie

WERE ENGAGED IN I-W SERVICE IN HOSPITAL AT WINDSOR, ONTARIO

Inman, Kan. — Parents of two young men from this community doing their I-W service in a hospital at Windsor, Ont. received the tragic news Sunday night that their sons had drowned that evening while swimming in Lake Erie, off the tip of Pt. Pelee National Park.

The drowning victims are Arnie Kroeker,20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Kroeker, Inman, and Virgil Regier, 21,son of Mr. and Mrs. Herb Regier of Buhler.

As late as Wednesday morning the bodies had not yet been recovered, in spite of continued and intensive search by police and coast guard personnel.

According to companions who witnessed the tragedy, the two were still only waist deep in the water when a large wave came in, the undertow of which then swept them away.

Grief-stricken relatives are waiting for the recovery of the bodies before making any arrangements for either memorial or funeral services.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Aug 15 p. 1

text of obituary:

Body Of One Youth Found In Lake Erie

FUNERAL SERVICES FOR VIRGIL REGIER ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY AT BUHLER

Buhler, Kan. — Funeral services for Virgil Regier, who together with Arnold Kroeker lost his life through downing in Lake Erie on Sunday, Aug.4, were announced for Wednesday, Aug. 14, to be held here at the Mennonite Brethren church.

Regier's body was found Friday 12 miles from Point Pelee National Park, Ontario, Canada, where he and Kroeker had gone swimming. At latest report Kroeker's body was still not recovered.

Both young men had been in I-W service in a Michigan hospital.

The parents of the drowning victims, Mr. and Mrs. Herb Regier, Buhler, and Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Kroeker, Inman, had gone to Windsor, Ont. for a memorial service in the church which their sons had usually attended.

A memorial service for Kroeker is planned at the Bethel Mennonite church at Inman Thursday afternoon, to be conducted by Rev. P. T. Neufeld. In the event the missing body should yet be found by that time, the service will be postponed.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Aug 29 p. 8

text of obituary:

VIRGIL LEE REGIER

Virgil Lee Regier was born to Herbert P. and Anna Plett Regier on Jan. 7, 1936, in Reno County, Kansas. He spent his entire life near Buhler, Kansas, except for the last 22 months while he was in I-W service at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Mich. He attended the Buhler High School for two years, attended for two years and graduated from the Central Christian High School, Hutchinson, Kansas, and attended Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kansas, one year before volunteering for alternative service for his country.

While still a young lad of 11 years of age he gave his heat and life to Christ, recognizing his need of the Savior during the Clifford Lewis evangelistic meetings. On June 12, 1949, at the age of 13 years, he was baptized and received into the membership of the Mennonite Brethren Church at Buhler, Kansas.

Throughout his life, Virgil was healthy. His sudden death on August 4, 1957, at 6:20 p. m. was caused by drowning in Lake Erie at Pelee national Park. His body was found four days later, about 45 miles from the place where he had last been seen. He departed to be with Christ at the age of 21 years and seven months, less three days.

Virgil was a quiet, unpretending young man. He deeply appreciated the beautiful and noble things of life, and was a great lover of good music, sacred music always holding first place in his interest and appreciation. As a son in the family he was obedient and eager to carry out the wishes of his parents. He was well known; too, for his high concepts of separation from the world of sin, and evidenced a keen desire for spiritual fellowship, Bible study, and prayer meetings.

Away from his home and his home church, he nevertheless sought out the fellowship of believers. His spiritual experiences while in service in Detroit, Mich. were strengthened by the close ties he, along with other young men, maintained with the Central Church of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. The pastor of this church, Rev. T. E.Thompson, in a recent letter to the pastor of Virgil's home church, expressed his highest commendations of Virgil, as well as of his other friends in I-W Service, saying that he maintained a consistent testimony in his work and in his worship. While attending the church in Detroit he was active in young people's work, sang in quartets, and participated in whatever way he could.

A very close friendship existed between Virgil and Arnold Kroeker. Together they attended and graduated from Central Christian High School, and served in I-W Alternative Service for the country. Their fellowship was still more closely knit together in the Lord by their joint departure from this world and union with Christ.

Virgil is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Regier; two brothers, James, all of Buhler; one paternal grandparent, A. T. Reier of Buhler; maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Plett of Hillsboro, Kansas; five uncles, ten aunts, and many relatives and friends.

Although the weight of this seemingly unintelligible sorrow is more than we alone can bear, we are comforted of God to know that Virgil is now enjoying the eternal blessedness of the Savior's face and presence, awaiting the hour “when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” It has been hard for us not to ask why this must be. God knows why, and that may be as good to us as though we knew a thousand reasons, for, regardless of the nature of our experiences and trials. We are assured that “whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.”

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Oct 3 p. 1

text of obituary:

GIFT OF $2,000 TO M. B. CONFERENCE IN MEMORY OF VIRGIL REGIER

Hillsboro, Kan. — A gift of $2,000 has been given to the Mennonite Brethren Conference by Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Regier of Buhler in memory of their son, Virgil Regier. Virgil lost his life by drowning in Lake Erie while engaged in I-W service at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit.

The gift is to be divided as follows: $1,000 to foreign missions, $500 to home missions, and $500 for Christian education.