Wesselhoeft, Leota Fern Good (d. 2006)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2006 Mar 27 p. 8

Birth date:

LEOTA WESSELHOEFT

Leota Fern (Good) Wesselhoeft, 77, died unexpectedly March 13, 2006, from complications following surgery.

She lived a full and active life with her husband, Carl, serving 10 years as missionaries in Somalia, Africa, and continued her mission of giving of herself to the local community and Turkey Run Mennonite Church, where Carl pastored for about 39 years.

Her life touched many through her strong faith in the Lord, her cheerful disposition and comforting words. In Somalia, she was considered the “Tribal Midwife” in spite of no medical training, and was “Momma Leota” to many Somali children who came and stayed at the boarding school where Carl taught. She knew no strangers, and her greatest joy was to share her faith and give of herself unselfishly wherever needed.

Survivors include her loving husband of 52 years, Carl J. Wesselhoeft; six children, Ruby Dunlap and her husband, Bob, of Mount Juliet, Tenn., Paul Wesselhoeft and his wife, Marilou, of Blountstown, Fla., John Wesselhoeft and his wife, Debbie, of Richfield, Ohio, Ruth Bender and her husband, Mike, of Logan, Ohio, Carol Kempton and her husband, Glen, of Logan, Ohio, and Conrad Wesselhoeft and his wife, Marcie, of Logan, Ohio; three sisters, Marcella Fisher of Logan, Ohio, Wilma Yutzy of Plain City, Ohio, and Evelyn Brenneman of Orrville, Ohio; 25 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Doris Plank; and a six-week-old daughter, Evelyn Wesselhoeft.

A memorial service is planned for April 8 at Turkey Run Mennonite Church.