Swartzendruber, Daniel B. (1875-1950)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1950 Jun 15 p. 6

Birth date: 1875 May 9

text of obituary:

DANIEL B. SWARTZENDRUBER

Daniel B., son of Bishop Jacob F. and Elizabeth (Bender) Swartzendruber, was born in Lyon county, Kans., May 9, 1875, and died at his late home near Kalona, Iowa May 16, 1950, at the age of 75 years and seven days.

On Dec. 16, 1900, he was united in marriage to Anne Guengerich. To this union five children born, three sons, William Henry of Peoria. Ill., Jacob F. of Marion, Iowa, A. Lloyd of Kalona, and two daughters, Martha Naoma at home and Mary Ruth deceased. The above named children with their mother, six grandchildren, one sister, Mrs. Delilah Litwiller of Kalona, and a foster son, John Combs of Chicago, survive.

He was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers and two sisters, and a daughter Mary Ruth.

Bro. Swartzendruber accepted Christ as his Saviour in his youth, was baptized on Nov. 27, 1892, with a class of 16 members, and united with the Lower Deer Creek Mennonite church, later transferring his membership to the East Union congregation where he always took an active part in the activities of the church and was a faithful member at the time of his death.

At the age of four years the family moved to Iowa and located in the Kalona community where Dan grew to manhood and lived until the time of his death, with the exception of two years spent in California for his health. He taught school in the community for several years. After his marriage he established a home northwest of Kalona where he lived the remainder of his life.

About March 1 of this year he was stricken with influenza from which he failed to recover. He was taken to the Merch [sic Mercy] hospital at Iowa City, where examination disclosed that he was suffering from a serious malignant cancer which caused his death.

Bro. Swartzendruber's occupation was farming and he was a lover of nature. His interests were quite general and he always had a vision of improvement and progress in agriculture. However his chief concern and interest was for the more important and better things in life, especially the spiritual welfare of the community.

Bro. Swartzendruber will not only be missed in the home and church but in the community as well, where he filled a large place. To know Bro. Swartzendruber was to know and have a real friend, whose concern was not only for his own interests but for those of his fellowmen as well. His counsel and advice was sought by many who will always remember him as a true friend.

Funeral services were held from the East Union Mennonite church Friday afternoon at 2 p. m. with burial in the East Union cemetery, conducted by Bro. D. J. Fisher and S. C Yoder.