Wedel, Arpa (1914-2003)

Newton Kansan obituary: 2003 Aug 15 p. 2; 2002 Aug 18 p. 2

Birth date: 1914 Feb 17

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2003 Sep 8 p. 12

text of obituary:

ARPA WEDEL

Arpa Wedel, 89, of Goessel, Kan., died Aug. 15, 2003, at Bethesda Home. She was born Feb. 17, 1914, to Benjamin B. and Katerina (Krause) Wedel in Goessel.

She grew up on a farm in a family of predominately girls, so learned at a young age to work very hard. She had to beg her father to let her go to high school and walked many miles to be able to attend school.

After graduating from Goessel High School in 1933, she attended Bethel College in North Newton. She received a teacher's certificate and taught for seven years in rural schools in the Goessel and Whitewater areas. She added to her college credits until she received her bachelor's degree in education in 1950 from Colorado State College in Greeley.

In 1947, she left the farm, bought a home in Hutchinson and began teaching in the Hutchinson school district. She spent her summers traveling and attending classes, working to obtain a master's degree, which she did in 1955 from Colorado State College.

She taught various grades in elementary schools in Hutchinson. She taught for two years in Germany at the Frankfurt American School. She was a Delta Kappa Gamma member and enjoyed the company of her fellow teachers.

After retiring in 1979, she served with Mennonite Voluntary Service to teach remedial reading at Potter Thomas Inner City School in Philadelphia for one year.

Her hobbies included woodcarving, sewing, quilting, gardening and traveling. She volunteered as manager at the Et Cetera Shop in Hutchinson for several years.

She moved to Mennonite Friendship Manor in 1997. In September 2002, she moved to Bethesda Home.

Her faith in God was an example to her students and those around her. She transferred her membership from Alexanderwohl to First Mennonite in Hutchinson on May 25, 1956, and was a faithful member and worker in the church.

She shared a lifetime with her sister, Tina, and missed her tremendously when she died in 2000.

Others who preceded her in death were sisters Ruth Wedel and Margaret Gilmer; half-sisters Lena Unruh, Mathilda Goertzen, Elizabeth Wedel, Hannah Unruh, Marie Banman and Ida Doerksen; and brother Ben Wedel.