Schmidt, Mary Pankratz (1883-1958)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1958 Oct 9 p. 8

Birth date: 1883 Nov 20

text of obituary:

MRS. MARY PANKRATZ SCHMIDT

Mrs. Mary Pankratz Schmidt of Reedley, Calif., daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Martens Pankratz, was born in the village of Alexanderwohl, Russia on Nov. 20, 1883. she departed from this world at the Reedley hospital on Sept. 27, 1958, to be with her Lord and Savior. She was 74 years old.

As an infant of six months she came with her parents to the United States and settled near the Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church, Goessel, Kansas. When Oklahoma was opened to new settlers, they moved to Cordell, Okla. Here she had her conversion experience. She was baptized upon her confession of faith that Jesus Christ was her Savior by Rev. J. S. Krehbiel and joined the Sichar Mennonite Church.

She entered holy wedlock with John W. Schmidt on April 7,1901. To this blessed union were born six children, five of whom survive their parents. A son, Herman, passed away last summer.

They moved to Reedley, Calif. in 1936 and joined the First Mennonite Church. Father Schmidt died in the spring of 1943. In 1950 Mother Schmidt became a resident of the Mennonite Brethren Home for the Aged where she remained until her death. Her crippled condition caused her a serious handicap, but she sought to bear it cheerfully. She was a faithful Christian mother and exercised a great concern for her children that they too should know the Lord and serve Him. Her favorite verse of Scripture was John 3:16.

She leaves to cherish her memory one daughter Matilda, Mrs. Otto Goettsch of Santa Monica; four sons, Adolf of Clinton, Okla., John of Redondo Beach, Calif., Ted of Reedley, and Otto of Fresno; one sister, Mrs. Anna Kliewer of Cordell, Okla.; and one brother, Ben of Selma, Calif.; 21 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Sept. 29, 1958, at 2:00 p. m. in the First Mennonite Church of Reedley, Rev. Aaron Epp officiating. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Ewy and Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Ewy sang “In Dem Himmel ist Ruh” and “Take Thou My Hands.”

The Mennonite obituary: 1958 Oct 28 p. 673