Esther Elizabeth (Boehr) Wenger
Obituary
Esther Elizabeth (Boehr) Wenger, 94,
retired missionary and church worker, died Sunday (Dec. 18, 2016) at
Kidron Bethel in North Newton. She was born April 1, 1922, in Wisner,
Nebraska, to Henry and Elizabeth (Wiebe) Boehr. Baptized in 1935 at
Salem Mennonite Church, she graduated from Wisner High School in
1939. Esther obtained a Secondary Teacher's Certificate at Bethel
College and taught school in Goessel. In 1943, she took a summer
session at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Esther married
Malcolm Wenger Dec. 23, 1943, in Wisner. They were a few months short
of their 60th wedding anniversary when Malcolm passed away.
As newlyweds, Malcolm and Esther moved
to Montana and spent 22 years with the Northern Cheyenne, serving as
General Conference Mennonite missionaries. Esther was an ordained
minister of the General Conference Mennonite Church. In 1966, they
moved back to Newton, where Esther was an active member, deacon and
teacher at Faith Mennonite Church. In 1978, Malcolm and Esther moved
to Manitoba, Canada, where they pastored Selkirk Mennonite Church,
which included Metis and native Canadians. In 1985, semi-retirement
brought them back to Newton from where they served for short periods
in Crow Agency, Montana, Buhle and Kykotsmovi, Arizona. They attended
Shalom Mennonite Church. In 1999, they moved to Kidron Bethel
Village.
Esther frequently reached out to people
of all ages, hosting guests, corresponding with and visiting others,
with a concern for their faith. In addition to being an attentive mom
and grandmother, she spent many years teaching Sunday School,
directing church programs, playing piano and organ, and helping with
youth camps. One of Esther's prayers was that "we will all find
ways to live the love of Christ in our activities."
Survivors include three daughters,
Betsy (Randall) Kaufman of Windom, Ann Wenger of Goshen, Indiana and
Grace Wenger of Newton; sons-in-law, Ken Voth of Newton and Konrad
Ege of Mt. Rainier, Maryland; three grandchildren, Cristina (Scott)
Woodall of Phoenix, David (Sarah) Kaufman of Halstead and Hans Ege
Wenger of Afghanistan; two great-grandchildren, Erik and Evan
Kaufman; and one nephew, John (Kim) Schmidt of San Francisco.
In addition to her husband, she was
preceded in death by two daughters, Becky Voth and Martha Wenger;
sister-in-law Ruth (Wenger) Schmidt, Orlando Schmidt and their son
Ted Schmidt.
Services will be Thursday (Dec. 29,
2016), with a viewing from 10 to 11 a.m. at Peterson Funeral Home,
burial at 2 p.m. at Eastlawn Cemetery in Zimmerdale and a memorial
service at 4 p.m. at Shalom Mennonite Church in Newton, with a meal
and sharing to follow.
Memorial suggestion: White River
Cheyenne Mennonite Church, Busby, MT.
1922 - 2016 (94 years)