A NARRATIVE FOR UNCLE ED

 

On July 26, 1916, in Bay Port Michigan, Ed became the third child of Joseph and Emma Swartzendruber.  Ed had older brothers Walter and Omar, and would later have younger siblings Bill, Alma, Paul, Bess and Claude.  Ed loved school, especially mathematics, and was a top student at Kilmanagh School.  He also attended Bible School in Kitchner, Ontario.  Like many young folks at that time, Ed had to quit school after the 10^th grade to help work on the farm. 

 

On April 2, 1939 in Pigeon, Michigan, Ed married Mary Aschliman.  One of Ed’s early jobs ‘off of the farm’ was as a butcher at Maust’s Butcher Shop.  Ed liked to say that since he was such a good butcher, he would probably be a good surgeon.   In 1944, Ed, Mary and Kay moved to Goshen, IN, where Joe had moved in 1941.  The family bought the farm on Smoker’s Corner on US 33 East.  Doug was born there, and in 1952, they sold the farm and bought a new farm on County Roads 40 and 27.  Since there was no house there, they bought Sam and Anna Aschliman's house in New Paris.  In 1959, they bought the Eldridge House on County Road 142.  Ed and Mary moved to College Green in 1988, and in 2012 they moved to Evergreen.

Ed was a visionary regarding farming and business.  He was among the first in the region to install an irrigation system for his corn.  Most were doubters, but when Ed had great crops while the others suffered drought, the doubters became believers – today nearly all corn crops in the area are irrigated.  In addition to corn, Ed raised chickens and wheat, with one short-lived venture in growing tomatoes.  As a chicken farmer, Ed became associated with Wana Feeds in Shipshewana.  It was there that Ed met Ellsworth Fanning who became Ed’s long-time business partner and friend.  Ed and Ellsworth built EDD’s Supplies from a shoestring operation into one of the largest distributors of liquid fertilizer and related products.

Ed loved family, friends, colleagues, church, education and music.  He and Mary were long time supporters of College Mennonite Church and Goshen College, particularly the music program.  Together, they greatly enjoyed all of the musical events at the College, and always anticipated the next musical program regardless of the performers or content.  For many years, Ed sang with the Menno Singers while Mary was a member of the Middesingers, the Lyric Choir and the Saint John’s Singers.

One of the distinguishing features of Ed’s prosperity was that he shared so much of it with others.  In the spirit of Matthew 25, Ed often said that “The only thing that you can take with you is what you give away.”  All we can say is Amen Ed, and Godspeed.

UNCLE ED 1916 - 2015

Many more people called Ed Swartzendruber "Uncle Ed" than called him dad, but only Kay and I had the privilege of the latter.  At 10:55 this morning, Ed left us, and even though he lived long and prospered, it is never easy to lose a parent, child, relative, colleague....  We can say Farewell, or Fare Well, or Godspeed, but saying the last goodbye is not easy.  I and others will have much to share about Uncle Ed at the Yoder Culp Funeral Home in Goshen on Friday afternoon, at the Memorial Service Saturday morning at College Mennonite Church, and in the comments section of this blog.  

Vaya con Dios papá.

Goshen – Edward G. Swartzendruber, 98, passed away peacefully Monday at IU Health Goshen Hospital after a short illness.

He was born July 26, 1916 in Bay Port, Michigan to Joseph and Emma (Shetler) Swartzendruber.

On April 2, 1939 he married Mary A. Aschliman in Pigeon, Michigan.

She survives along with two children, Kay Montgomery, Palm Springs, Ca. and Douglas E. (Rhonda Willems) Swartzendruber, Boulder, Co.; four grandchildren, Anna Montgomery, Douglas, Nick and Rachel Swartzendruber; three great-grandchildren, Silas, Noelle and Elias; a sister, Bess (Joe) Gabriel, Kent, Ohio, and Claude (Shirley) Swartzendruber, Goshen.

He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, William, Paul, Walter and Omar Swartzendruber and a sister, Alma Heap.

A long time area resident, Mr. Swartzendruber, was co-owner, along with Ellsworth Fanning, of EDD’s Supplies in Shipshewana.  He also farmed for many years, raising corn, wheat and chickens.

Valedictorian of Bay Port High School, Ed was a member of College Mennonite Church

. 

Ed had a deep appreciation for music.  He sang for many years with Menno Singers and was a loyal supporter and attendee of Goshen College music programs.

Friends may call on Friday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home.  A memorial service will be conducted Saturday at 11 a.m. at College Mennonite Church.

A private burial will take place at Violett Cemetery, Goshen.

Memorial contributions may be given to Goshen College Music Department Scholarship Fund.

ONE OF OUR 50 IS MISSING

This post title is a regular section of New Mexico Magazine.  I love each issue, and we have many fond memories of living there and we continue to travel there.  Each month, there are several hilarious anecdotes about how folks have had to explain in various and sundry circumstances that New Mexico really is one of the states of the Union!  It reminded me of a short anecdote that I sent along to the magazine, and they published it!  Here it is:

During the 1970’s, we lived in Los Alamos and I worked at the LANL’s Health Research Lab.  These were the days before online publishing and internet access to research journals.  Thus, whenever we published a paper, we would get many post card requests for a reprint.  Invariably, among the post cards would be several that carried 37 cents international postage rather than the 8 cents required. Many requests came from the Northeast, but most states were represented!   I often signed the reprint and highlighted USA after the Los Alamos, NM.

 In a recent issue, I saw a tote bag sporting the message below - made me chuckle, and I need to get one:

NIMRODS IN NIMRUD

It has been a little while since the barbaric ISIS/Daesh [the Nimrods] destroyed many antiquities in Nimrud, Iraq, but the phrase used in the title of this post kept coming to mind.  Most of you likely know the story, but accounts can be read here in the Guardian and a good CNN report including video is here.  This is just one more example of bad religion, or religion gone bad - take your pick.  The Daesh claim is that the cultural cleansing is required because the antiquities promote idolatry, but my bet is that they are carrying off a lot of the stuff to sell on the black market.  Here is a brief video from the Guardian link:

Yesiree - this really promotes idolatry!!

 

We can only wish this fate for the Daesh Nimrods

Carved Nimrud ivory of lion attacking Nubian circa 850-750BC. Source: News Corp Australia

"THE EVIL THAT MEN DO

lives after them...." And, I believe that one of the most evil practices among men [humans] is beheading.  I don't remember too many sermons or Sunday School lessons on the subject, but in Matthew 14, we read:

But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”  And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given.  He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

My earliest visual remembrance of beheading is seared into my mind, probably during the 1950's - I believe that I saw it in Life Magazine.
The story, as told here, is as follows: Sergeant Leonard Siffleet was a commando fighting with the Australian Army in New Guinea when he was captured by natives, who turned him over to the occupying Japanese army. Trained as a radio operator in the Special Forces, Siffleet was part of a secret surveillance detachment sent to New Guinea to watch the coast and report back on enemy activities. After they were turned over to the Japanese, they were held for about two weeks, tortured, and then – on October 24, 1943, on the orders of Vice-Admiral Michiaki Kamada of the Imperial Japanese Navy – Siffleet was executed by beheading. He was beheaded by a Japanese officer, Yasuno Chikao. Chikao ordered another soldier to photograph him while he performed the execution. U.S. forces later recovered the photograph from the body of a Japanese major, in April 1944. Though the Japanese often executed prisoners by beheading (see Toshiaki Mukai and Tsuyoshi Noda above), this is the only known surviving photograph documenting the beheading of a prisoner. I will not even give any links or references to the current Daesh beheadings - such atrocities are barbaric, monstrous, reprehensible [add any adjectives you want] evil.

COW PI DAY

I usually make an entry on Pi Day, March 14, but missed it.  Indeed, this year is an especially notable Pi Day because it only comes around once per century, 3-14-15 [I suppose that if you round up, you could also go for next year, 3-14-16].  Regardless, here is one of the most remarkable Pi Day achievements that I have ever seen!!

Added bonus:  Here is an interesting blogpost about pi and Ken Ham's Answers in Genesis