Ruth Langenegger
Obituary
Ruth Ella (Wiebe) Langenegger, 78, went
to be with the Lord on Friday (March 1, 2019). She passed Away
peacefully at her home near Elbing. She was the daughter of John B.
and Bertha (Hiebert) Wiebe.
Her childhood was spent on a dairy farm
near McLains, where she learned to love the outdoors and share that
love with her younger brother, John O. Wiebe. Ruth, John and sister,
Eileen, attended the one-room school at McLains for grades one
through eight. As a young girl, Ruth accepted Jesus Christ as her
personal Savior and was later baptized at Newton Bible Church. Ruth
got her high school education at Berean Academy and it was there that
she met the love of her life, Fred Langenegger. After high school,
she attended Grace College of the Bible in Omaha, Nebraska.
She and Fred were married on April 9,
1960, and were the first couple to be married in the sanctuary at
Newton Bible Church. Fred and Ruth farmed near Elbing all of their
married life. Their home was blessed with two children, Debbie and
Steve. An infant son, Jonathan, was with them for only four days and
went to be with Jesus in 1972.
Ruth was an excellent mother. She was
devoted to her children and also provided care for her parents during
their difficult years. She was famous for her baking (especially
zwieback) and for her many talents, including gardening and sewing
(often without a pattern). Every move counted and her efficiency
allowed her to be part of the farming operation as well as an
excellent manager of her household.
One of Ruth's joys was to teach Sunday
School classes. She and Fred taught the younger children at Swiss
church for many years and later she taught the junior high girls'
class. Ruth and Fred were also counselors at the Grace Community
Church's annual productions of Judgment House. The extent of Ruth's
prayer ministry may never be known – but she learned to pray as a
primary response to the joys and difficulties of life.
All of their neighbors appreciated the
sight of Fred and Ruth as they sped around the cattle pens on their
four-wheelers. Ruth loved working outside with Fred on the farm or
going with him in the truck for feed.
Ruth is survived by her husband, Fred;
daughter, Debbie (Stephen) Cowles of northwest England; and son,
Steve of McGregor, Texas. She is also survived by six grandchildren:
Kristy (Cowles) Willis (married to Christopher) of Wichita; Jonathan
Cowles of Colorado Springs, Colorado (fiancé Jessica Ashworth of
Fort Collins, Colorado); Joshua Cowles of Spokane, Washington, and
Shae, Brecyn and Makaylah Langenegger, all of Moody, Texas. She is
also survived by her older sister, Eileen (Virgil) Unruh of Newton
and John (Loretta) Wiebe of Wichita.
She was preceded in death by her
parents; her infant brother and sister; and infant son, Jonathan.
Friends may visit the family from 6 to
8 p.m. Friday (March 8, 2019) in the Fireside Room at Grace Community
Church, Newton. The celebration of life service will be at 10 a.m.
Saturday (March 9, 2019), also at Grace Community Church, with a
light lunch following. Graveside service will be 2 p.m. at Swiss
Cemetery on Butler Road.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has
been set up for Berean Academy.
- 2019