Schertz, Martha Imhoff (1886-1947)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1947 Jun 12 p. 3

Birth date: 1886 Dec 12

text of obituary:

MRS. MARTHA I. SCHERTZ

Martha Imhoff Schertz, daughter of the late John and Mary Imhoff, was born Dec. 2, 1886, in Metamora township, Ill. From there the family moved to the Peter D. Schertz homestead and several years later moved to the Imhoff homestead near Lowpoint, where the greater part of her girlhood days were spent.

In her youth she accepted Christ as her personal Saviour. She was baptized on Oct. 15, 1901, and united with the Metamora Mennonite church, to which she remained faithful until the end.

On June 10, 1909, she was united in marriage to Henry R. Schertz of near Metamora and the family home was established on a farm south of Metamora.

On Dec. 20 she submitted to a major operation at the Methodist hospital in Peoria, from which she never fully recovered. She bore her illness with much patience and expressed the hope that she could be fully restored to health, but was resigned to the Lord’s will for her life. She passed to her eternal reward at 3:35 o’clock on May 12, 1947, at the age of 60 years, five months and 10 days.

She leaves to mourn her departure her widowed husband, four sons, Floyd, Russell, Robert and Donald; two grandchildren, Kathleen Sue Schertz and DeLoss Edward Schertz, all of Metamora; two sisters, Mrs. Dave Schertz of Eureka and Mrs. P. B. Schrock of Lowpoint; two brothers, Chris Imhoff of Eureka and Sam Imhoff of Lowpoint. Two sisters and four brothers preceded her in death.

She was a devoted Christian wife and mother, interested in her home and especially concerned about the spiritual welfare of her children. In recent years her goal was to read a portion of God’s word every day, and she seldom failed to attain this goal. The words of the psalmist recorded in Psalms 119:11 were very significant to her: “Thy Word have I held in my heart that I might not sin against thee.”

She found great satisfaction and pleasure in giving to make others happy. Frequently she would suggest that especially those who were engaged in the Lord’s work would be remembered with gifts on special days. Her devotion to her family and splendid Christian counsel as a minster’s wife, were greatly appreciated.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon, May 14. A short service was held at the residence three miles south of Metamora at 1:15 and at 2:00 at the Metmora Mennonite church east of Metamora, where the deceased’s husband is pastor. The services were conducted by Rev. A. C. Good of Sterling, assisted by Rev. Howard Zehr of Freeport at the residence, and the Rev. Ezra Yordy of Eureka at the church.