Clara M (Janzen) Koehn

Clara (Janzen) Koehn

Clara (Janzen) Koehn passed away Oct. 7, 2024, at the age of 99 at NMC Health in Newton. She was born Aug. 10, 1925, to Rudolph and Mathilda (Schmidt) Janzen. She was the fourth of five children. She attended Star School and graduated from Whitewater High School. Music was an important part of Clara?s early years of life, and she enjoyed singing with various groups. All through life, she loved to listen to gospel music.

On Sept. 21, 1946, Clara married Eugene E. Koehn and celebrated almost 60 years together until his passing on Aug. 4, 2006. They have two daughters, Sherri and Peggy. Clara enjoyed her children and volunteered as the Brownie and Girl Scout leader for both of their troops, the Parents Teachers Association, and many other organizations. She retired in 1988, from what was then known as the Harvey County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Office. She was a member of the Bethel College Mennonite Church in North Newton. In her later years, when she could not attend on account of her health, she would attend services at the Presbyterian Manor, where she enjoyed the Sunday morning Chapel service and the Sunday evening ?Hymn Sing,? followed by one of her favorite things: a group gathering for ice cream in the dining room.

Clara was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene; her parents, Rudolph and Mathilda (Schmidt) Janzen; brothers, Henry Janzen and wife Laura and Robert Janzen and wife Judy; sisters, Edna Lawson and husband Owen and Ruth Zook and husband Robert; son-in-law, Steve Kirk; brother-in-law, Norman Wiens; and nephew, Jeffery Janzen.

She is survived by her two daughters, Sherri Kirk of Jasper, Ga., and Peggy (Jon) Davis of Lenexa, Kan.; three grandchildren, Ami (Kenny) Jones of Apex, N.C., Scott Davis of Prairie Village, Kan., and Megan (Jimmy) Faseler of Shawnee, Kan.; six great-grandchildren, Tyson and Peyton Jones of Apex, N.C., Rachel and Shepard Davis of Prairie Village, Kan., and Charlie and Millie Faseler of Shawnee, Kan.; sister-in-law, LaWanda Wiens of North Newton, Kan.; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 14, at Bethel College Mennonite Church in North Newton, with Pastor Nathan Koontz officiating.

Visitation will be from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 13, at Petersen Funeral Home in Newton. The family will receive friends from 1 to 3 p.m. at the funeral home.

Burial will be at the Greenwood Cemetery at 9:30 a.m.,Monday, Oct. 14.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Bethel College Mennonite Church and left with Petersen Funeral Home.