Wiens, Maria Ediger (1869-1956)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Nov 22 p. 4

Birth date: 1869 Jan 3

text of obituary:

PIONEER SETTLER OF INMAN COMMUNITY DIED AT AGE 87

Inman, Kan. — Mrs. Maria Wiens, 87, native of South Russia and a long-time resident of South Russia and a long-time resident of this community, died here Nov. 9. Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at the Inman Mennonite church, with burial in the Hoffnungsau cemetery.

She leaves five children, three step-children, 17 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Nov 29 p. 8

text of obituary:

MRS. C. J. WIENS

Maria Ediger Wiens, daughter of Heinrich and Sarah Heinrichs Ediger, was born on Jan. 3, in Shardau, South Russia. In 1874 at the age of five years she with her parents, four brothers and four sisters left their pleasant home in Russia to emigrate to America. They settled in the Hopefield community near Inman, Kansas.

In this new land she experienced the pioneer conditions. Added to the burdens of pioneering was the home going of her dear mother only three years after their arrival in this land. She took her role in the home of her father, caring for him and the home after her brothers and sisters were married.

On July 28, 1889, she was baptized upon the confession of her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Saviour and became a member of the Bethel Mennonite Church near Inman, Kansas. Soon after her marriage to the Hoffnungsau Church. After the death of her husband she again transferred her membership, this time to the Inman Mennonite church, in December 1928. In all these churches she took active part and enjoyed the fellowship.

On August 17, 1889, she was united in holy matrimony to Cornelius J. Wiens. She immediately assumed the responsibility of becoming a mother to six children. The Lord further blessed this union with seven children, two of whom passed away during infancy. The family ties were broken in this blessed home through the death of our loving father on April 7, 1922, after sharing life together with mother for only about 23 years. In 1930 mother left the farm and moved to Inman where she lived in her own home until about four years ago when she moved into the Home for the Aged in Inman.

Mother enjoyed good health until February of this year. Even in her later years she took much joy in crocheting and hand work. She was the last member of her family, her parents, four brothers and six sisters preceding her in death. She peacefully passed on to her Eternal Reward in the home for the aged at 6:00 a.m. on Nov. 9, 1956, reaching the age of 87 years, 10 months and six days.

She leaves to mourn her departure, one daughter Katherine, Mrs. Peter Dyck of Inglewood, Calif.; four sons, Cornelius C. of Inman, Alvin of Hillsboro, Rudolf of Vale, S.D. and Albert of Hutchinson; two step-daughters, Anna, Mrs. D. J. Enns of Hutchinson and Marie, Mrs. D. R. Duerksen of Inman; one step-son, Jacob C. Wiens of Inman; five daughters-in-law and three sons-in-law; 29 grandchildren, among whom is Missionary Viola Ediger of Kyushu, Japan, and 38 great-grandchildren. Her husband, two children and four step-children preceded her in death.

One of mother's favorite hymns was Number 385 in the Gesangbuch Mit Noten, based on Psalms 73:28: "But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare Thy works." — The Children and Families.