Mary Ediger

Mary Ediger, age 79, of Aurora, died Friday morning, May 16, 2003, at Memorial Hospital in Aurora.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Wednesday at the Bethesda Mennonite Church in Henderson. Revs. George Kaufman and Weldon Martens will officiate. Interment will be in the Hampton Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 P.M. on Tuesday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary in Aurora. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at higbymortuary.com.

OBITUARY: MARY EDIGER

Our mother, Mary Ediger, was born on February 1, 1924 to Henry and Anna (Penner) Bergen, in Henderson, Nebraska and the Lord called her home early Friday morning on May 16, 2003, at the age of 79, 3 months and 16 days.

Upon her confession of faith in Christ as her personal Savior, Mary was baptized on May 24, 1942 by Rev. A. W. Friesen and has been a faithful member of Bethesda Mennonite Church since.

Mary attended country school and graduated from Henderson High School in 1941.

On September 14, 1947, Mary was united in marriage to Ben Ediger and they established their first home in Hampton. In 1949, they moved to their farm near Hampton where they lived until 1992. They had 55 years and 8 months of wonderful years together.

God blessed Ben and Mary with two children through adoption, Glenda of Bellevue and Lowell of Hampton. We couldn't have hand picked a better mother, God has truly blessed us.

Through her years on the farm, Mary was a devoted farmer's wife. She was often found delivering fresh baked cookies and coffee and even many hot meals to Ben and his farm hands in the fields. Mary was always home to hear about her children's school and days' activities and spent many hours at the sewing machine making clothes or mending overalls.

In 1974, Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through several major surgeries, but she never let this get her down. Throughout her cancer recovery, she often spoke about how good her Lord was and how she was growing in her walk with Him. She expressed a desire to be a witness to others' of God's goodness and love. In 1985, she was the recipient of the distinguished Terese Lasser Award recognizing her as a valuable asset to the State of Nebraska as a Reach to Recovery volunteer.

Through the years she loved to see her grandchildren come over and was proud of their many accomplishments.

In 1992, they moved from their farm near Hampton to their home in Aurora. Shortly after their move, Mary survived a triple by-pass and a massive stroke, but God once again intervened and allowed her another six good years of life with Ben, her children and grandchildren.

Preceding her in death are Mary's parents, Henry & Anna Penner Bergen, step-mother, Kathryn and Esther, a sister Anna, brother's, Isaac, Henry and Harley.

Those who remain to cherish her memory are her husband Ben of Aurora; a daughter, Glenda Epperson; a son, Lowell and Jennifer; five grandchildren, Kimberly, Karissa, Benjamin, Brandon & Kaliegh and a great-grandson, Jaden. She is also survived by one brother, Eugene (Lu) Bergen of Henderson, sister-in-laws, Virginia & Sophia of Sutton, Evelyn & Elvin Steier of Henderson and a host of family and friends.