Schmidt, Clara Alvina (1889-1932)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1932 Nov 22 p. 12

Birth date: 1889 Oct 4

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1932 Oct 26 p. 6

LOCAL

. . .

— Following many years of lingering illness, Sister Clara Schmidt of Bethel hospital passed away at about 11 o'clock last Saturday night. Her death closes a most useful career, the greater part of which was given to the sick and needy. She entered the service of Bethel hospital two years after its organization, and remained in her chosen work until five years ago, when sickness made further work impossible. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob A. Schmidt of Moundridge, both of whom have preceded her. Funeral services are held at the Bethel College chapel this afternoon, Rev. J. M. Suderman officiating. Interment in Greenwood. cemetery.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1932 Nov 9 p. 2

text of obituary:

Sister Clara Alvina Schmidt.

Sister Clara Alvina Schmidt was born near Moundridge, Kansas, on October 4, 1889. She was the daughter of Jacob A. and Barbara Rings Schmidt, the sixth child in a family of ten children, who grew up in a happy home, under the guidance of loving Christian parents. She attended the district school until she was ten years old, when the family moved nearer to Moundridge. After that she was a pupil in the city schools, graduating from the high school with the class of 1906. During the winter of 1910-11 she attended Bethel College. In 1907 the family moved to Upland, Calif., where they planned to make their future home. But here the father met with an accident the following year, with caused his death, and the bereaved mother returned to Moundrige with her family.

Sister Clara was baptized upon confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ on June 11, 1904, and united with the West Zion Mennonite Church at Moundridge, Kansas. She helped in the Sunday school and was active in the work of the Mission Circle there, remaining interested in this association until her death. After she came to Newton she transferred her church membership to the Bethel College congregation.

According to her statement made at the time when she applied for training for deaconess work, she experienced a deepening of her spiritual life in 1910 and from that time on the desire to consecrate her life to God in a definite way never left her. She entered the Bethel Deaconess institution on June 9, 1913, and received the garb on May 12, 1914. On Oct. 1, 1916, she was ordained as a deaconess in the First Mennonite Church in Newton, Kansas, by Rev. H. D. Penner. Through the grace of God she made her calling and election sure, serving faithfully until she became ill. One year after she completed her training as a nurse she took over the office work in the hospital and remained in this position up to 1926. She had opportunity to meet many people and to widen her circle of acquaintances and friends during these years. In December 1926 she went to Mountain Lake, Minn., as assistant superintendent of the Bethel deaconess Hospital located there. In February 1928 she fell on the ice, suffering the fracture of a vertabrae [sic]. This was a great shock to the system, and though she seemed to recover well at first, she was not able to resume her work again. She had developed a persistent cough during the winter months and upon the advice of her physician she was relieved from her duties. For a year she was a patient in the Southern Baptist Sanatorium at El Paso, Texas, and her general health improved. But a paralysis of her limbs and hands began to develop, and she returned home on July 3, 1929. Her physicians told us that her paralysis was due to a disease of the spinal cord and that it would be of a progressive nature. She gradually lost the use of her hands and feet, and later on was scarcely able to speak, and swallowing became difficult. She was in bed practically all the time for four years and three months, and was very helpless.

She was of a nervous, active, type, quick and energetic when well, very precise and orderly, and a bright and talented woman. Her long affliction and her helpless condition were a heavy cross to her. Though it was her earnest desire to be fully reconciled to the will of God, every activity which had to be given up caused another struggle. Soon after she realized that she would probably never again be able to take up the duties in her chosen field of service she sent the following poem to the Sister which expressed her desire to face her lot cheerfully.

Recompense.

"To keep a tranquil mind through days of pain
And have a word of cheer for weary souls
Who daily cross my path; to bury deep
The sorrows and the failures of the past;
To see my dear ones carry the loads
That should be mine and not increase their weight
By useless fretting; to let hands and brain
Lie idle when the urge and zest of life
Continually challenge all their powers;
To harbor no resentment when the prize
I coveted so much has been bestowed
On someone else because my waning strength
Could not survive the rigors of the race;
And without bitterness or vain regrets
To stand aside and let the world go by;
God — if this be my task — then may I find
In doing it with gladness my reward."

She was able to read, and was also able to use her radio up to within a few weeks of her death. Many friends visited her, and cheered her with letters and varied acts of kindness. We are very grateful for all the love and the thoughtful consideration which came to her from near and far. God alone knows the defeats and victories of her life. We thank Him for the assurance of salvation and the divine comfort which also were hers.

For several weeks she had been failing rapidly, and on the 22nd day of October at 11:00 p. m. she quietly fell asleep, having reached the age of 43 years and 18 days. She knew that the hour of her departure was at hand, and was ready to go, as far as we can judge.

We thank God for her life, and we thank Him also for her deliverance from the bonds of this mortal flesh, and we comfort our hearts with the assurance that some day the veil will be lifted and we shall know and understand just why she was chosen for the furnace of affliction. And till that days dawns, and the shadows flee away, we will rest in the divine promise that "they that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

The funeral services were held on Wednesday, October 26, beginning at 1:30 P. M. in the chapel of the Deaconess Home. The opening song "Ich bete an die Macht der Liebe" was followed with a short address in the German language by Rev. J. E. Entz, the president of the Board of Directors of the Bethel Deaconess Home and Hospital Society. He chose the verse, Romans 8:18 as a basis for his remarks, and led in prayer. Then the songs "Worthy art Thou Lord Divine," and "Was kann es Schoenres geben" closed this service. Many friends had gathered in the Bethel College chapel where a mixed quartet sang very beautifully "There is a place of quiet rest near to the heart of God." Rev. P. A. Penner read John 17, and led in prayer. Then followed the reading of the obituary and the song "Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand." Rev. J. M. Suderman based the funeral sermon on John 17:24, the Scripture passage selected by the departed sister as the text for this occasion. After the prayer which followed the sermon the quartet sang "Nearer, still nearer," and then the friends passed the casket for a farewell glance at the mortal remains. The hand of death had erased the marks of the long illness and a look of peace and victory was upon her features.

Sister Clara was laid to rest in the Sisters' lot in Greenwood Cemetery. Rev. J. E. Entz read the committal service and prayed. The quartet sang "Rock of Ages cleft for me as the casket was lowered into the grave where she awaits the glorious resurrection morn with the two other sisters who have preceded her in death.