Wedel, Jacob A. (1865-1951)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 Nov 1 p. 9

Birth date: 1865 Apr 6

text of obituary:

JACOB A. WEDEL

Jacob A. Wedel, the son of Andrew and Eva Nachtigal Wedel, was born April 6, 1865, in Poland, Russia. Early in life he lost his father in a fire which destroyed their home and also took several other lives.

In 1874 he came to America with his mother and family, settling in McPherson Co., Kansas near Galva. They lived there for a number of years, and then moved to Marion Co., Kansas.

In 1886 he was baptized upon the confession of his faith and received into what is now the Emanuel church.

On June 20, 1886, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Schmidt. She preceded him in death on February 21, 1941. This home was blessed by the birth of 10 children: Katie, Mrs. J. B. Eck, deceased, Ida, Mrs. Joe T. Jantz of Meno; Susie, Mrs. Jonas Jantz, deceased; Minnie, Mrs. J. B. Unruh, Meno; Anna, Mrs. R. M. Koehn, Meno; Lena, Mrs. P. H. Jantz, Ringwood; Jake and Ben of Meno; Elizabeth, Mrs. Sam Redger, Greensburg, Kansas; and Lorrene, Mrs. Otis Schmidt, Greensburg, Kansas. He also leaves 38 grandchildren, five great grandchildren, two great great grandchildren, one half-brother, Barney Jantz of Greensburg, Kansas, and many other friends and relatives.

After their marriage the Wedels lived in Marion Co., Kansas for a time, but in the spring of 1894 they moved to Meno, Oklahoma, settling on the quarter section of land where the town of Meno is located. His entire life was spent on the farm until the time of his retirement in the fall of 1935.

When he moved to Oklahoma he also became a member of the New Hopedale Mennonite church and remained a faithful and loyal member till the end, attending three services of worship the last Sunday before he was seriously stricken.

Being a widower, the later years of his life were rather lonely. He however took great delight in reading the Scriptures. This brought him a great deal of comfort. His life was characterized by quietness and by a depth of the Spirit.

On September 29 he suffered a heart attack. After a brief period of hospitalization he was again able to return to his home where he was tenderly cared for by his children. On Tuesday, October 16, he suffered a severe stroke and passed away in an Enid hospital on October 21, 1951, at the age of 86 years six months, and 13 days.

The funeral was held Wednesday, Oct. 24, with a short prayer service in the home by Rev. A. J. Unruh and the regular service in the O.B.A. auditorium led by Rev. Arnold Epp, the pastor. Interment was made in the New Hopedale cemetery.