Tschantz, John H. (1854-1928)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1928 Dec 13 p. 7

Birth date: 1854 Dec 4

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1928 Oct 24 p. 1

text of obituary:

JOHN H. TSCHANTZ DIED WHILE IN SUNDAY SCHOOL

Dalton, Ohio, Oct 18. — John H. Tschantz, aged 74 years a prominent citizen of Dalton, died suddenly at the First Mennonite Church at Bluffton, Ohio, Sunday morning, while he was attending Sunday School there.

Mr. Tschantz was on a visit to his daughter, Mrs. D. W. Bixler and family of that place, in company with his wife, his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Tschantz.

During the service Mr. Tschantz observed to friends that he was somewhat short of breath, and was soon afterwards found in the church lobby, with life extinct, having suffered an attack of heart trouble.

An account of Mr. Tschantz's life and of the funeral services are found elsewhere in this paper.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1928 Oct 24 p. 8

text of obituary:

John H. Tschantz

Mr. Tschantz was born Dec. 4, 1854, the son of Abraham C. and Anna Tschantz, in Wayne county, where he grew to manhood. After a common school education he attended schools at Wadsworth, Smithville and Wooster.

For six years the young man was engaged in teaching school. Later he became a successful farmer near Dalton, where he has made his home ever since. He also found time for other lines of work and was therefore actively engaged in various ways. He has been the president of the Sonnenberg Mutual Lightning and Fire Association for the last 39 years, became a director of the Dalton bank in 1909, and its second vice president at the same time; was elected first vice president of the bank in 1924, and became its president in 1926, in which capacity he had served until the time of his death.

As a member of the Salem Mennonite church at Sonnenberg he was an ardent and enthusiastic worker, who was interested in all the church auxiliaries. Mr. Tschantz served as Sunday School superintendent of that church for over 30 years and taught a young men's Bible class to the end. The absence of his clear voice which always took the lead in responsive reading in church or Sunday School services, will be distinctly felt, as also his fervent prayers at public worship.

On Oct 1, 1878, he was married to Miss Lydia Steiner, to which union three daughters and two sons were born. The mother of the small children was taken to the home beyond, Jan 9, 1888. In the year 1892, on Feb. 16, he found his second companion in the person of Miss Elizabeth Geiger, of Bluffton, which union was blessed with a son and a daughter.

He leaves to mourn his sudden departure, his loving wife, his sons, Irving W. and Amos, of Dalton; and Clyde, of Smithville; his daughters, Mrs. Reuben Gerber, of Dalton; Mrs. D. W. Bixler, of Bluffton; and Mrs. Floyd Pannabecker, a missionary in service in the interior of China. He is also survied [sic] by his two brothers, Chas. C. and Wm. P. Tschantz, of this place, and one sister, Mrs. D. C. Sprunger, of Berne, Ind. One child, Lizzie, preceded him in death, as also his brother, Daniel, and his sisters, Mrs. Abe Amstutz, Mrs. J. L. Amstutz and Mrs. John Badertscher.

It was hoped by the many friends of the Tschantz family that the parents would yet both be granted the pleasure of meeting again their beloved daughter, Mrs. Sylvia Pannabecker, when she would return on furlough with her family from the mission field, but God willed it otherwise. Yet the sympathy of all should be enlisted for parents who make the supreme sacrifice of giving their well beloved so willingly for the work of saving others.

The funeral was held Wednesday morning. Short services in the family home, one and a half miles south of Dalton, at nine o'clock, and in the Salem Mennonite church, three miles south of Dalton, at ten o'clock. Rev. A. R. Keiser was in charge of the services, assisted by Rev. N. C. Niswander, of Iowa; Rev. J. T. Moselman, of Bluffton College; and Rev. Poetter, of Marshallville. Interment in the Salem church cemetery. — Dalton Gazette.

The Mennonite obituary: 1928 Nov 29 p. 7