The Funeral

My mother's siblings were not able to see one another very often.  Aunt Treva, the oldest, was a missionary midwife in Mali, Africa with Gospel Missionary Union.  My parents were missionaries with General Conference Mennonite Missions.  Uncle Wally's were missionaries with TEAM.  The furloughs did not match up together very often.  Aunt Wava's lived in Minnesota and Uncle Mahlon's in Ohio. I believe in the picture below, it was the first time in 18 years they had all been together! 

Here are some cousin photos. 

1956

We three are the same age.

Me, Craig and Reva Jo today

Furlough of 1962

In Grandma's kitchen

 Then in 1968

And today, minus my brothers

(We tried to line up like the photo above)

1974, I believe  (oh the styles!!)

Uncle Mahlon (the hairy one-ha!) was the last sibling to pass away.  

What a sweet service!  The family held the burial first.

Grandpa and Grandma

The funeral was held at the St. John Mennonite Church.

Uncle Mahlon made many overseas missions trips.  

In this picture, you can see the ceiling.  He did all of that!  Troy was with him.

Uncle Mahlon made this for the pastor

It really is a celebration when a believer dies.

Really, doesn't die.  Just relocates!

Fellowship meal followed

Then it was time to say our good-byes.

I stopped at the farm to say good-bye

 and pick up some delicious Suder apple cider!

Before getting on the road, I made a stop at Bluffton College to drop off and donate a translated copy of my great-grandfather, P.B.Amstutz's travels to Europe and the Middle East in 1914.

I had copied the original from the library a few years past.  

It was in Swiss-German and I found someone to translate it into English.

Good-bye Ohio!

It was a beautiful drive.  I spent the night in Urbana again. 

A fun stop in Hannibal, Mo.

 

It appears British royalty was aboard!

I made a quick stop in Lawrence to give my sister-in-law a birthday hug!!

Home for a few days before the next trip, this time to Wisconsin.