Sommer, Norah Lambert (1887-1947)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1947 Dec 4 p. 3

Birth date: 1887 Jan 1

text of obituary:

NORAH LAMBERT SOMMER

Our Heavenly Father in His perfect and infinite wisdom called our beloved Norah Lambert Sommer to her eternal home on Wednesday, November 12, 1947, near the hour of one o’clock p. m.

She was born January 1, 1887, in Elkhart county, Indiana, the daughter of Rev. George and Amanda Gehman Lambert. She was reared in a home of high ideals where love and a sympathetic understanding for the poor and the underprivileged was taught and understood. At the age of eight years she united with the Mennonite Brethren in Christ church of Wakarusa.

It seems natural, then, that from such an environment, Norah felt called upon to leave Goshen College to join her sister, Rose, who was serving among the Armenians and the Turkish orphans, as a missionary. After five and one-half years of effective and fearless service in the mission field she returned to continue her education at Bluffton College in Ohio. While there she was sent by the college on numerous lecture tours. She spoke in behalf of the great task of mission work remaining. Her zeal and ability to inspire others brought great blessings to her, as well as to her Church.

It was while on one of these tours that she met her husband, Oscar J. Sommer of Pekin, Illinois, to whom she was united in marriage August 18, 1918, at Elkhart, Indiana. They established their home in the beautiful site formerly owned by Mr. Sommer’s pioneer forefather, where they have since resided.

They worked for and planned a Christian American home of the finest type for the three children born to them: Theodore Levon, who with his wife, Josephine Conrad Sommer, resides at Tremont and works with his father in the Sommer Bros. Seed Co.; Lois Lydia, now carrying on the family tradition by serving with her husband, Robert Kreider, in voluntary relief in Germany for CRALOG, having been among the first representatives to arrive there after military permission was granted; and John Lambert, who is a pre-medical student at the University of Chicago.

In addition to her husband and three children, one grandson, James Theodore Sommer survives, as do several sisters and a brother; Edward G. Lambert, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio; Mrs. Robert Fansher, Gettysburg, Ohio; Mrs. Luther Fansher, Stambaugh, Michigan; Mrs. D. G. Musselmann, Inez, Texas; Mrs. Roy Fries, South Bend, Indiana; and Mrs. John Ummel, Elhart, Indiana.

Her enthusiastic interest in her fellow-men has grown with the years. She will be remembered by many as a greatly respected lecturer, educator, and scholar. She was an especially diligent worker in foreign relief and a capable organizer of missionary projects. As recently as October 28 she met with a group of Peoria women, inspiring and organizing them for relief work.

Two days later, October 30, she attended an all-day meeting of the women’s organization of the Central District Conference of Mennonites at Carlock in the interest of foreign relief work. From this meeting she returned filled with zeal, enthusiasm, and ambitions, some of which she did not survive to accomplish.

The 2015 memory of her humble and unassuming manner endears her to those who worked with her, especially those of her church and community. Although often not physically able to do what her heart and mind demanded, she served faithfully as chairman of the Women’s Council of Relief Organizations, teacher of the Women’s Bible Class of Bethel Mennonite church, an active member of the Elm Grove Unite of Home Bureau and of the Elm Grove Community Club.

She was ever solicitous for the welfare of her neighbors and friends. Her sincerity in the cause of all Christian services cannot be emulated too highly, even though it was her wish to serve in humble gratitude to her God.

Still, those of us who knew her and loved her feel as the eulogist in the 31st Chapter of the book of Proverbs must have felt when he spoke so beautifully of a virtuous woman, declaring — “Her price is far above rubies, she stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy — strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Give her of the fruits of her hands and let her own words praise her in the gates.”

Let us confidently believe that the memory and influence of her life among us here will eventually lead us all to a happy reunion in the land of eternal day. — O. J. Sommer.

The Mennonite obituary: 1947 Dec 9 p. 12