Schrag, David D. (1919-2005)

Newton Kansan obituary: 2005 Apr 18 p. 2

Birth date: 1919

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2005 May 9 p. 12

text of obituary:

DAVID D. SCHRAG

David D. Schrag, 85, of Moundridge, Kan., died April 15, 2005, at Memorial Home. He was born Oct. 10, 1919, to Reinhold and Maria Dirks Schrag on a farm west of McPherson.

He graduated from Hesston College. The attack on Pearl Harbor took place during his sophomore year, and he was drafted. The next four years were spent in Civilian Public Service at Weeping Water, Neb., Terry, Mont., and Gulfport, Miss. These were formative years of deep spiritual conviction for him.

During his time at Hesston College, he met Wilda Stauffer of Milford, Neb. They were married in Milford on Nov. 7, 1945.

After World War II ended, they answered the call to overseas service and helped resettle Russian/ German refugees in Paraguay, 1948-50. Returning to the United States, they made their home on a farm west of McPherson for 11 years, where he was involved in church and community activities.

In 1961, he was called to administrative duties at Meadows (Ill.) Mennonite Retirement Community. Here he found the joy of working with senior citizens. He had a special gift of communicating with older people and earning their confidence. After 18 years in Illinois, he was called to work at Memorial Home in Moundridge. As he had done at Meadows, he was again instrumental in starting extensive programs of different levels of care, from nursing to independent living, named Pine Village.

In 1986, he felt his health failing, so he retired. He had already lived a number of years with glaucoma, and later he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Wilda; five children, Anita Lehman and her husband, George, of Bluffton, Ohio, Christine Diener and her husband, Daniel, of Goshen, Ind., Mark and his wife, Nancy, of Kenai, Alaska, Jana Schopp and her husband, Rusty, of Bloomington, Ill., and Scott and his wife, Sheila, of Moundridge; two brothers, Daniel of Hutchinson and William of McPherson; a sister, Anna Marie Pratt of Fayetteville, Ark.; and 12 grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Abe; a sister, Martha; and a grandson, Eric Schopp.

Services were held at West Zion Mennonite Church of Moundridge.