Inez Goertzen

Inez Goertzen, widow of Jacob B. Goertzen, age 94 of Aurora (formerly of Hampton) died Thursday evening, November 8, 2001, at Hamilton Manor.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Tuesday, November 13th, at the Countryside Bible Church near Hampton. Rev. Tom Ebert will officiate. Interment will be in the Mennonite Bretheran Cemetery near Henderson. No Visitation, the casket will be open one hour prior to service at the church. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at higbymortuary.com.

OBITUARY: INEZ GOERTZEN

Inez Elizabeth Goertzen, the oldest daughter of Peter and Marie (Goertz) Goentzel, was born on a farm near Marion, Kansas, on August 4, 1907 and died in Aurora, Nebraska on November 8, 2001, at the age of 94 years. She would later be joined by five brothers and three sisters. As a farm family in the early 1900's their work days were hard and long. Along with her next youngest sister, Bess, Inez worked side by side with her father in the fields. She developed a strong work ethic which served her well throughout her life. Her parents were members of the Ebenfield Mennonite Church and after her conversion, she too was baptized at the age of 16 and became a member there.

Inez attended a country school through the elementary years and when she recounted her memories of those days they were always happy ones. She was a good student and excelled in reading and spelling. Unfortunately she was needed to work on the farm and could not continue her schooling past the 7th grade.

It was springtime, the year was 1935, and Inez was in her late twenties, wondering when her knight in shining armor was going to come for her. It just so happened that Jake Goertzen had come to Kansas from Nebraska for the purpose of purchasing some farm supplies, but instead he met Inez and the attraction was mutual. They corresponded for a time, with subsequent visits to Kansas by Jake, then were married on April 29, 1936 at the Ebenfield M.B. Church. Jake and Inez moved to Nebraska to begin their new life there, on a farm northwest of Henderson.

They felt blessed of the Lord to become the parents of three children, Neva, Lois and Dennis, over the ensuing years. Farming was hard and the days were long, but Inez and Jake had grown up working hard and were up to the task. They both gave praise to the Lord for all He had given them and the blessings which He daily showered upon them. They were members of the Henderson Mennonite Brethren Church and Inez was active in what was then known as "Sewing Circle". She also enjoyed her monthly meeting with the Hospital Auxiliary.

In 1972 Inez tearfully left the farm that she and Jake had tended so faithfully to begin retirement years in Aurora. They had built a modest home there but she insisted that the yard be large enough for a vegetable garden and her roses. They truly had a farm sized garden in the city, until even that became too much to tend; the years of hard labor had taken their toll. After Jakes' death in December 1994, Inez could no longer take care of the house and the yard, she moved to a care facility in Aurora and parted with most of her earthly treasures at an estate sale. It was such a sad day for her, but, true to form, she never complained but continued to count her blessings.

Inez has been such a blessing to all of us through the years, but especially in these last years when, though her health has continued to decline, she has drawn closer and closer to her Lord. She has been our prayer warrior, and as Neva mentioned in an e-mail to her children and siblings in the last weeks of Mom's life here on earth, "We'll all have to pray harder for each other when Grandma in gone; we can't rely on her anymore!" We knew she prayed for all of us daily and her life was a reflection of her favorite passage of scripture, Proverbs 3:5-6, which says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." What a legacy she leave for those who come behind!

She was preceded her in death by her parents, husband, a sister, Bess Galliert, and three brothers Ed, Clarence, and Warren Goentzel.

Those who remain to cherish her memory are her son Dennis and his wife Dee Goertzen of Henderson, two daughters, Neva Klaassen and her husband Nick of Santa Ana, California and Lois Ediger and her husband Don (Jim) of Lincoln; along with 7 grandchildren, Diane Kirchener, Jim Penner, Kristin Webb, Shannon Smith, Nathan Goertzen, Lindsey Goertzen and Landon Goertzen; 7 great-grandchildren also mourn her death: Ashley, Courtney and Spencer Denison, Paige and Julia Penner, Cole Nickels and one who will never have the privilege of knowing her, Trevor James Goertzen born October 15, 2001 and brothers Vern Goentzel of Marion,Kansas and Ben Goentzel of Durham, Kansas; and sisters Mary Just and Ruth Goentzel of Hillsboro, Kansas.

We grieve over her death but rejoice with her in the victory Christ has given to those who know Him. To know the joy she experienced when reached Heaven's gate brings hope and peace for us who remain. We will see her again, in that place where there is no pain or suffering and we know that she wants to see all of you who hear this as well. Do you know Him, the Saviour who came as a babe, to die on a cross for each of us? Our prayers as a family, and what was Mom's prayer as well, is that all would come to repentance. Ask Him to come into your life today.