Reiff, Christian (1867-1945)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1945 Nov 8 p. 3

Birth date: 1867 Aug 20

text of obituary:

REV. CHRISTIAN REIFF

Rev. Christian Reiff, 78, supply minister of the Belmont Mennonite church and retired department store employee died at 5 p. m. at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Miles (Mary) Troyer, 1320 Prairie, Elkhart, Ind.

He was born Aug. 20, 1867, in Maugansville, Md., the son of Jacob and Mary Horst Reiff. His first marriage was to Annie Erb at Newton, Kas., in 1889. She died in Elkhart July 10, 1924. In July of the following year he married Lydia R. Berkey at Hesston, Kas. She died Jan. 7, 1943.

Mr. Reiff was a Newton, Kans. farmer prior to coming to Elkhart in 1924. He worked at the Ziesel store 18 years, retiring in 1942 because of ill health. He was a member of the Prairie Street Mennonite church.

Surviving beside Mrs. Troyer are another daughter, Mrs. R. P. (Susie) Horst, Kansas City, Kas.; 6 sons, Vernon and Nathan Reiff of Elkhart, Tillman of Newton, Kas., Irvin and David of Chicago, and Jacob of Berkeley, Calif.; two step-daughter, Miss Bessie Berkey of Chicago and Mrs. Perry Hartwick, Portland, Ore.; 21 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; a sister, Mrs. Annie Walker, Newton, Kans., and two brothers, David Reiff of Colorado and Martin Reiff of Minnesota.

Funeral services were held at the Prairie Street church, in charge of Bishop D. A. Yoder and the Revs. LeRoy Hostetler and John Gingerich. Burial in Prairie Street cemetery.

(From Elkhart Truth)