Wohlgemuth, Justina Friesen (1846-1928)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1928 Sep 5 p. 4

Birth date: 1846 Feb 26

text of obituary:

Justina Wohlgemuth.

Justina Wohleguth [sic Wohlgemuth], nee Friesen, was born in Russia on the 26th day of February, 1846. Her marriage to Henry Friesen brought only a very brief period of happiness; for the bond was served [sic] by death after a few months. In May, 1869, she married again, and lived with this her second husband, Gerhard Wohlgemuth till the latter's death in 1923. Having accepted the free grace that is in Christ Jesus, she was baptized on the confession of faith on the 23rd day of September, 1869, and received into the Krimer [sic Krimmer] Mennonite Brethren church.

In 1874 she accompanied her husband in their migration from Russia to America. On this tour they were delayed a month in Elkhart, Indiana, on account of sickness which caused the death of her brother John Friesen and her daughter, Louise. After this they came to Kansas and established their home at Gnadenau, north of Peabody.

They chnged [sic] their place of residence to Tampa, Kansas, in 1884, and to Hillsboro, Kansas in 1900. After the death of her husband in 1923 she remained in her home till she was no more able to take care of herself. She stayed with her children D. H. Wiebe at Lehigh, Kansas, during the last two months. Her strength faded gradually without any particular disease and without pain, with the exception of the last week when she suffered quite intensely till she passed away at 7 o'clock in the evening, August 23rd, at the age of 82 years,5 months and 28 days.

With the exception of her two sons George and Peter, her children were all within reach and came to see her in her last days. But she desired to see those also who were away, and they too responded to the call of their dying mother.

She leaves to cherish her memory seven children, twenty-nine grandchildren and four brothers. There have preceded her in death seven children and eight grand children. — Hillsboro Star.