Seibel, Elmer Lee (1920-2008)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2008 Apr 28 p. 2

Birth date: 1920 Jan 31

text of obituary:

ELMER LEE SEIBEL

Elmer Lee Seibel, 88, of North Newton, Kan., died March 26, 2008, at Kidron Village. He was born Jan. 31, 1920, to Jacob and Anna Wall at Aulne.

He spent his early years on farms in Marion County until the family moved to Wilson County, where he graduated from Benedict High School. After graduation he farmed for several years around Benedict before moving to Hillsboro to learn the carpenter trade. In the early 1950s he began building homes on his own in Wichita. He was especially meticulous in his work. In the early days of home building he did almost everything, from the foundations to shingling the roofs. He also renovated and managed rental properties for about 30 years.

He married Dorothy Pankratz on June 12, 1953.

As a teenager, he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior after a visit to the family farm from a country preacher who was holding revival meetings in town. He was baptized at First Baptist Church in Fredonia. He was a member of and attended First Mennonite Brethren Church in Wichita from 1953 until moving to Kidron Village in 2004. He enjoyed singing in the choir and Kansas Mennonite Men’s Chorus. He had a passion for missions, including Mennonite Central Committee.

One of his favorite pastimes was fishing. Many of his fishing supplies were homemade, including a boat and camper.

Early in their marriage, instead of constructing a bookcase he handcrafted a china cabinet for his wife from a walnut tree he cut down. Over the years he spent countless hours in his shop, creating rocking horses, cradles, wagons, birdhouses, desks, bookcases and planters. If something was needed, he usually found a way to make it. When one of his hot water heaters gave out and would have been thrown away, he cut the tank in half, put wheels on the halves and then planted flowers in them.

His greatest treasures in life were his grandchildren. When they were young he enjoyed giving them rides in a cart he made and pulled behind his riding lawn mower.

Survives [sic] include his wife, Dorothy; two children, Gerald and his wife, Loreta, of Kechi, and Leora Schneider and her husband, Martin, of Milford, Neb.; four siblings, Lucena Thiessen, Homer, Wallace and Frances Quintana; and five grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Clarence and Ernest.

Funeral services were held at First Mennonite Brethren Church in Wichita.