Riffel, Agatha Hiebert (1878-1963)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1963 Feb 21 p. 8

Birth date: 1878 Aug 20

text of obituary:

MRS. AGATHA RIFFEL

Our loving mother, Agatha Hiebert Riffel, was born on August 20, 1878 in Cortez, Russia. At the age of 16 she came to America with her parents, John and Tina Thiessen Hiebert. As a young girl she accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior and was baptized upon her confession of faith and united with the Mennonite Brethren Church.

On May 11, 1899, she was united in holy matrimony to our father, John G. Riffel. Our parents had the joy of living together over 65 years. Father passed away in 1962. This union was blessed with 10 children, three of whom preceded her in death.

Our parents made their first home near Buhler, Kan. In 1906 the family moved to Canada. In 1920 we came back to the United States and settled at Dallas, Oregon. Two years later we came to Orland, Calif. where we settled on a farm. In 1960 our parents entered the Reedley Home for the Aged where they lived to the end of their earthly life.

Our mother was a godly woman who lived a life of prayer. She was devoted to the cause of her Savior and in a special way had a real love for mission work. God blessed this devotion and the fruits of it are revealed in the fact that several of he children were called into active missionary service for the Master.

Our mother enjoyed comparatively good health in spite of a life in which she has labored hard to take care of her time for the Lord and for the work of the church. After the passing of our father last year, she began to fail and had a definite longing to go and join him in the great beyond. This wish was granted on Saturday, Jan. 19, 1963. She reached the age of 84 years, six months, and 29 days.

Those who remain to mourn her passing are the following children: Bertha, Mrs. Paris, Woodland, Calif.; Katherine, Mrs. Esau, Dallas, Oregon; Hilda, Mrs. Fisk, El Cerrito, Calif. (a returned missionary from China): Arthur, Santa Cruz, Calif.; Arnold, Sacramento, Calif.; (ordained missionary for extension work): Albert, Orland, Calif.; Herman Riffel, pastor, Baptist Church, Detroit, Mich.

Besides these there are three sons-in-law, four daughters-in-law, 20 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren. Three of the grandchildren are serving as missionaries on foreign fields. Also one sister, Mrs. Anna Voth of Reedley, Calif., and two brothers, Jacob Hiebert of Dinuba, Calif., and Herman Hiebert of San Jose, Calif.

The memorial service was held in the Mennonite Brethren Church of Reedley, Calif. on Jan. 22, with Rev. Dan Friesen, Rev. J. P. Siemens, and Rev. David Letkeman, officiating.