Wiebe, Maria Warkentin (1880-1959)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1959 Jun 25 p. 8

Birth date: 1880 Mar 7

text of obituary:

Mrs. Maria Wiebe

Mrs. Maria Wiebe was born at Jansen, Neb. March 7, 1880, to Peter F. and Wilhelmina (Wiens) Warkentin. At 10 years of age she moved to Lehigh, Kansas where, with her parents, she resided on a farm near the Springfield K. M. B. Church. After her conversion in 1898, she was baptized by Elder Jacob A. Wiebe upon her personal confession of faith in Jesus Christ. She was received into the membership of the Springfield Church.

On May 21, 1908, she was united in holy matrimony with Jacob H. Wiebe, which union God blessed with 36 years of happy marriage, and to which union two children were born.

In 1914 the family moved from Lehigh to a farm in the Kremlin, Okla. community, where she lived for the past 45 years. Upon their moving to this community she transferred her membership to the North Mennonite Brethren Church where she remained a faithful member till her death. In the church fellowship mother was a faithful praying and working member. She was an enthusiastic and willing worker in the church. She thoroughly enjoyed teaching Sunday School classes, which she did for 25 years. She wad also active in missionary support as expressed in her participation in the work of the ladies' aid.

Prior to her marriage in 1908 she was employed at the Goessel, Kansas Hospital for three years. In subsequent years her hospital experience proved valuable in the willing help she often gave in caring for sick and elderly people.

In the home we knew her as a loving companion to our father and a devoted mother to her children. She was a radiant Christian and was not easily discouraged. She willingly gave helpful assistance in places where there was an opportunity to be a witness for Christ.

Mother became ill on Monday evening, June 8, and was taken to the Enid Memorial Hospital. On the following afternoon she submitted to surgery from which she seemed to recover quite well. However, the following Sunday, June 14, while eating her evening meal, she suffered a heart attack from which she died immediately. She reached the age of 79 years, three months and seven days.

Father preceded mother in death in 1944. She leaves to mourn her sudden departure one son, Herbert, of Wichita, Kansas; and one daughter, Minnie Kliewer of Kremlin, Okla.; a daughter-in-law, Ruth Wiebe, and a son-in-law, Alvin Kliewer; five grandchildren; one sister, three brothers, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. — The Bereaved Family.