Willard Marion Vogt

Willard Marion Vogt

Obituary

Willard Marion Vogt, 99, died peacefully on Saturday (Nov. 12, 2011) at Schowalter Villa in Hesston.

He was born the seventh of eight children on Oct. 8, 1912, on a farm south of Moundridge to Chris and Barbara Ruth Vogt and grew up on a farm west of Hesston. He graduated from Hesston Academy in 1931. In 1935, after offering Dorothy Verle Hershberger a stick of Juicy Fruit gum in typing class, he farmed 80 acres of wheat to pay off her $25 school loan and then married her in her family's home outside of Milford, Neb., on Oct. 12. She survives.

On the way home from their Colorado honeymoon, Willard and Verle stopped at his parent's farmhouse, and his father told them they were moving to town and Willard and Verle were to take over the farm. They lived at the farm until they moved to Hickory Street in Hesston in 1964.

Willard never missed church and was baptized at Garden Community Church then transferred his membership to Hesston Mennonite Church after the death of his mother when he was 13. He currently is a member of Kingdom Life Ministries in Hesston. He was a cattle and wheat farmer who worked with the Gideons, and was on the building committee at Hesston Mennonite Church. He housed a canning truck for the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Meat Canning program. Willard enjoyed retirement in south Texas and Phoenix, driving an RV, and playing with his grandchildren.

Willard is survived by his wife, Dorothy Verle Hershberger of Hesston; and son, Gary Vogt and his wife, Ruth of Hesston.

He was preceded in death by mother, Barbara, who died when he was 13; father, Christian; his brothers and sisters, Milton, Paul, Clara, Nelson, Harvey, Helen and Ralph; his daughter, Janet Zook; and son, Richard.

Visitation was Monday at the Schowalter Villa Chapel in Hesston.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Kingdom Life Ministries in Hesston. Pastor Scott Miller will preside. A private family burial will take place at Eastlawn Cemetery.

The family suggests, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to either MCC for meat canning or HCJB Ministries: Zook Family in support of his grandson's radio mission in Ecuador, in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home, 107 S. Lancaster, P.O. Box 32, Hesston, KS 67062.