Wall, Abraham Cornelius (1884-1966)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1966 Nov 10 p. 8

Birth date: 1884 Dec. 28

text of obituary:

REV. ABRAHAM C. WALL

Rev. Abraham Cornelius Wall, son of Cornelius M. and Helena Wall, was born on Dec. 28, 1884, in Henderson, Neb. Here he received his elementary education.

At the age of 20 he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour, was baptized by his father, and accepted into the membership of the Ebenezer Church which later became the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church.

In October 1905 he was united in marriage to Margaretha Wiens of Inman, Kan. After living several years in Litchfield, Neb., he moved his family to Wolf Point, Mont. where he took up farming.

In 1917 he was asked by the Lustre E.M.B. Church to minister the Word to them. Later he was elected as a minister of the gospel and was ordained.

His wife became ill late in 1929 and on Feb. 20, 1930, she passed away, leaving her husband with three unmarried children. They had share life together almost 25 years.

Two years later father married Mrs. Elizabeth Olfert, a widow with five young children. For 34 years they shared the joys and sorrows of life. To this union were born two sons.

Due to financial hardships and school closures, be resigned his pastorate in 1937 and moved his family to Dallas, Oregon, where he became a member of the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church. he served as interim pastor, elder and Sunday school teacher. He found great joy in studying God's Word, and teaching his Sunday school class was a very rewarding experience for him. In this he was faithful as long as he was able.

His health began failing noticeably in the spring of this year and the doctors diagnosed it as cancer. He, however, manifested a cheerful spirit throughout his illness. His desire to be with the Lord was granted on Oct. 16 at 11:35 a.m. He reached the age of 81 years, nine months and 18 days.

Preceding him in death was one son, Harold Olfert.

Surviving are his wife, Elizabeth, of Dallas, Oregon; his sons, Cornelius Wall of Langham, Sask.; Melvin Olfert of Dallas, Oregon, Homer Olfert of Salem, Oregon, Waldo Olfert of Reedley, Calif., Harvey Wall of Dallas, Oregon, and A. LeRoy Wall, Salem, Oregon; his daughters, Mrs. Marie Wiens, Iron Mountain, Mich., Mrs. Mathilda Schultz, Dallas, and Mrs. Sophie Klassen, Mountain Lake, Minn.; six daughters-in-law and three sons-in-law; 40 grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren.

The funeral service was conducted on Oct. 20, 1966, at 2:00 p.m. in the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church, Dallas, Oregon, Rev. Allan Wiebe officiating. — The Family.