Wiens, Alice Dorothy Vesper (1908-1935)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1935 Jan 23 p. 4

Birth date: 1908 Jan 19

text of obituary:

LOCAL

. . .

— Friends here have received the report that Mrs. F. J. Wiens of Berne, Ind., is seriously ill at a hospital in Decatur, Ind. Mrs. Wiens is a former student and graduate of Bethel College, her childhood home being north of Newton. — Later. Word has just been received that Mrs. Wiens passed away Wednesday morning. Since funeral services are to be held here — very likely at the Bethel College chapel — the body will be sent to Newton and will arrive here Saturday. Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon; burial at the Highland church north of Newton. Mr. Wiens and little daughter have the deep sympathy of the Review staff, on which he served as assistant editor several years ago.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1935 Jan 30 p. 1

text of obituary:

Mrs. Ferd. Wiens Laid To Rest North of Newton.

Funeral services for Mrs. Dorothy Vesper Wiens were held at the Bethel College church at 2:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon, after which interment was made in the Highland cemetery north of Newton. Mrs. Wiens had passed away in the Adams Co. Hospital, Decatur, Ind., on Wednesday forenoon, January 23, death being the result of intestinal flu and peritonitis of which she had been ill nearly a week. Following the services in the Mennonite church of Berne, Ind., where Mr. and Mrs. Wiens resided for the past four years, the body was shipped to Newton and arrived here Saturday afternoon. Mr. Wiens and a sister, Miss Florence Vesper of Fargo, N. D., accompanied the body on the way.

An unusually large gathering of sympathizing friends attended the funeral here. The services were opened by several appropriate numbers played on the pipe organ, and by the selection, "In the Time of Roses," sung by the men's and ladies choruses of Bethel College. The obituary of the deceased was read by Rev. J. F. Moyer, after which Dr. J. W. Kliewer offered prayer and preached a brief sermon. A further sermon of consolation to the bereaved was given by Rev. J. M Suderman of Buhler. A men's quartet selected from the Pretty Prairie church choir of which Rudolf Wiens, brother of Ferd. Wiens, is director, sang two numbers, and the Bethel College choruses again gave the closing number of music by singing, "Whosover Believeth". During the services the casket had been placed in the front of the church in the midst of large offerings of flowers presented by friends as tokens of their respect and sympathy.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Wiens had retained their membership in the local church since leaving Newton, and it was because of their many friends here that the services were held at the Bethel College church. The arrangement of the services was in charge of Willis Rich of the Bethel College campus.

Mrs. Wiens was born on January 19, 1908, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Vesper, living eight miles north of Newton. As a graduate of the Halstead high school and of Bethel College, she distinguished herself scholastically and later in her work in the church and community in which she lived. Soon after her marriage to Ferdinand Wiens of Newton, the couple left for Berne, Ind., to take charge of the Mennonite Book Concern at that place.

Mrs. Wiens is survived by her husband, one daughter, Phyllis, and a large circle of relatives and friends who mourn her too early passing.

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The Mennonite and The Christian Evangel obituary: 1935 Mar 5 p. 21

Birth date: 1908 Jan 19

text of obituary:

Mrs. Ferdinand J. Wiens. — Alice Dorothy Wiens was born January 19, 1908, in Highland Township, eight miles north of Newton, Kansas. She was a daughter of A. A. Vesper and Eliza Tangeman Vesper. Mrs. Wiens spent her childhood on her parental farm and attended country school, graduating from the eighth grade in 1922. She attended Halstead High School, graduating in 1926 as valedictorian of her class. She attended Bethel College at Newton, Kansas, graduating with the class of 1929, showing marked ability as a scholar, receiving membership in the Order of the Golden A. While at college she was active as a member of the Student Volunteer Union for Foreign Missions, the Y. W. C. A., and the Delphian Literary Society. She was editor of the 1929 issue of the Bethel College Annual, the “Graymaroon.” She also served one year as vice-president of the Kansas-Western Missouri State Student Volunteer Union. The year 1929 to 1930 was spent in teaching in the Junior High School at Beloit, Kansas. On May 29, 1930 she married Ferdinand J. Wiens, and with him moved to Berne, Indiana, where she actively assisted her husband in the business management of the Mennonite Book Concern. Another activity in which she was greatly interested was the Berne Camp Fire Girls, which she started and served as the first guardian. She was a charter member of the Berne Book Club, and its president at the time of her death. She also was a member of the Swiss Village Home Economics Club. As a young woman, Mrs. Wiens was active as a Sunday School teacher in her home church, The Highland Evangelical Church, of which she was a member until she united with the Bethel College Mennonite Church, Newton, Kansas, of which church she and her husband were members at the time of her death. — On Thursday, January 17, the sudden illness consisting of intestinal influenza, overtook her. Her condition became serious as peritonitis developed, and Sunday evening she was removed to the Adams County Memorial Hospital, where everything possible was done to check the disease. But all efforts failed, and after much suffering she passed away quietly at 10:10 o’clock, Wednesday morning, January 23, at the age of 27 years and 4 days. Her death came as a great shock not only to her husband, but also to her large circle of friends both at Berne and in Kansas. — She leaves besides her bereaved husband, one daughter, Phyllis Marie, born April 13, 1932, and five sisters. She lived a beautiful life, she died a beautiful death, and she leaves only beautiful memories. She has gone before to await her loved ones, join those who have preceded her. Her memory will always be an inspiration and a blessing to all her acquaintances.

The husband and little daughter desire to express their sincere appreciation to all who have so kindly and sympathetically assisted them during this time of illness and bereavement. Your words of encouragement, your contributions of flowers, your deeds of helpfulness are a “lifting of the load” that needs to be borne.