Weber, Aaron Musser (1880-1959)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1959 Feb 5 p. 8

Birth date: 1880 May 20

text of obituary:

AARON MUSSER WEBER

Aaron Musser Weber was born May 20, 1880, the second last of ten children in the family of the late Henry Gehman Weber and Elizabeth Musser Weber. He was born on the spot of the historical settlement of Mennonites 200 and more years ago in Berks County, near Alleghanyville [sic Alleghenyville], Penna.

Of the ten children in the Weber circle, three are now living. The demise of Aaron leaves Solomon 84, Joseph, 82, both of Denver, R.D. 1, Pa., and Annie Gehman, 75, of Mohnton, R.D. 2, Pa. As the sons and daughters grew to manhood and womanhood they confessed Christ as their Saviour and Lord and chose the religious faith of their father and mother through which to give their testimony to the world. All but two took companions and built homes of their own.

Aaron and his sister Fannie choose to live their life to the Lord in single blessedness, and so continued together on the Weber homestead for approximately thirty years, happy and contented as Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

Aaron, though unmarried,yet was married to the Lord. He confessed Christ, was baptized and received into the fellowship of the Bowmansville Mennonite church on Nov. 5, 1898, along with eight others, by the late bishop Christian Risser of Brunnerville, Pa. He kept his teenage baptismal vow inviolable till death. God had blessed him with a kindly disposition which people loved. Saint Paul speaks of "Luke, the beloved physician."We of this congregation feel like saying, "Aaron, the beloved historian."

He lived and served in the sixth generation from his Swiss-born immigrant forefather, Daniel Gehman. He was a born historical muse. Bro. Weber was the one to whom people went to get the answer for their relationship questions. His specialty was local church history. His gathering of historical facts relative to Alleghany [sic Allegheny], Gehman's and Bowmansville churches are set down in the great work, "The Mennonite Encyclopedia."

On Jan. 8 he went to the Reading Community Hospital for an eye operation. This was an entire success; so the surgeon pronounced it. The day for his leaving the hospital was set several days hence. However, his heart failed, and on Jan. 13 the Lord liberated his soul to be with Him in glory. He was a faithful and loyal Christian in the Mennonite Church, and an important member of the community as the neighborhood will testify. He lived to the age of 78 years, seven months and 23 days.

Funeral services were held in the Bowmansville Mennonite Church on the afternoon of Jan. 17. Bishop Howard Z. Good had charge. He preached on the text: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Moses G. Gehman read the preliminary Scriptures with devotional remarks. Benjamin f. Weaver had prayer. After the viewing the funeral courtege [sic] proceeded to the Alleghenyville Mennonite Cemetery for burial. Benjamin Zeiset pronounced the final rites over the remains of our departed brother. There were parting tears mingled with joy because another soul had gone to glory.