Woelk, Peter B. (1888-1962)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1962 Dec 13 p. 5

Birth date: 1888 Feb 8

text of obituary:

• Funeral services for Peter B. Woelk, 74, retired farmer of Southeast First Street, were conducted Tuesday forenoon at the First Mennonite Church, of which he was a member. Rev. Arnold Epp, the pastor officiated. Mr. Woelk died Sunday morning at the Bethel Deaconess hospital. Born in South Russia in 1888, he came to this area at the age of five and had lived here since. Surviving are his widow, the former Helen Schroeder; two daughters, Mrs. Walter Franz of Newton and Mrs. Fred Penner of Beatrice, Neb.; one son, Rudolph of North Newton; two sisters, four brothers, and a number of grandchildren.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1963 Jan 24 p. 8

text of obituary:

PETER B. WOELK

Our husband and father, Peter B. Woelk, son of Abraham and Maria Buller Woelk, was born in South Russia on Feb. 8, 1888. He came to America in April 1893 with his parents, two sisters and two brothers. They lived on a farm north of Lehigh, Kan. He received most of his schooling in the Silverfeld school under G. A. Bartel.

In 1902 the family moved to a farm south of Goessel. He was baptized upon the confession of his faith in Christ by Rev. H. R. Voth and became a member of the Alexanderwohl Church.

He was united in marriage to Helen Schroeder on April 11, 1912, in the Tabor Church and at that time became a member of that church. To this union were born three daughters and two sons. After residing on several farms in the Goessel community, the family moved to a farm in Harvey County, where they lived till August 1946.

In April 1937 our parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.

After retiring from the farm, mother and dad moved to Newton and joined the First Mennonite Church. In Newton, as in the Tabor community, he made many friends. He was friendly to young and old.

In May of 1958 he suffered a stroke which left him an invalid. For about five years he received much loving care at home and also numerous times in the hospital. Through all his pain and suffering he was never disatisfied [sic], but trusted that the Lord would lead. In spite of his illness our parents were able to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on April 8, 1962 with an open house.

He became critically ill on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 4, and died early Sunday morning, Dec. 9, at the age of 74 years and 10 months.

He leaves to mourn his departure his wife, Helen; two daughters, Olga and husband, Walter Franz; Dora and husband Fred Penner; one son, Rudy and wife Lorene; one daughter-in-law, Pauline McKibben, and one son-in-law, John W. Frey; 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; two sisters, Katie, Mrs. Jake Klaassen, and Marie, Mrs. Jake Berg; four brothers, Jake, Henry, John and Frank, and a host of relatives and friends.

One daughter Elma, one son Herbert, two brothers, two sisters, and five grandchildren preceded him in death. — The Family.

The Mennonite obituary: 1963 Jan 29 p. 74