Bertha Kliewer

Bertha Kliewer age 85 of Henderson, NE died Thursday, May 29, 2008 at Henderson. She was born May 9, 1923 to Hendry F. and Agnes (Schierling) Neufeld and graduated from the Henderson school district #95. This followed by one semester at the local Bible School and 3 years at Grace College of the Bible in Omaha graduating from the Missions Course in 1946.

She accepted Christ as her Savior at age 11 and was baptized by the Reverend J.R. Barkman and became a member of the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church of Henderson now known as the Faith Evangelical Bible Church. Still a teenager, she began teaching Sunday school and Daily Vacation Bible School at various country schools in the area. In the meantime she served for several years at the Floodwood Bible Chapel in Floodwood Minnesota as a Bible teacher for the release time classes. After that believing that God was leading her to Missions in China, she left Floodwood to prepare her outfit to go to the field. However by then the war there had escalated and the Mission Board informed her that no passports were to be issued. Then to further wait for God’s leading she went to Atlanta, GA to work under Child Evangelism teaching classes both for black and white children. While there the Mission Board informed her that there was a possibility that they would merge with the Far Eastern Gospel Crusade and that there were many opportunities for service in Japan. Taking this as God’s leading, she left for Japan in the spring of 1951. That same year she began working together with Marie (Olfert) Dahlenburg and they served together for 32 years in Japan and 4 years after retirement. They retired together in Henderson and took in bertha’s sister and also cared for her aunt living near by. When the aunt and the sister’s health began to fail, they both moved to the nursing home. On October 3, 1987 Bertha was married to Bernard G. Kliewer.

She is survived by a step-daughter Beverly and her husband Lonn Richards of Hillsboro, KS, two step-sons; Larry and his wife Karen Kliewer of Hampton, NE and Eugene and his wife Wynette Kliewer of Lachorerra, Panama. Seven step grandchildren and five step great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, 2 infant sisters, two sisters; Sara Neufeldt and Nettie Doerksen. A brother Abe Neufeld, sister Mary Alice Wolff and her husband Max, sister Helen Adena and her husband Aron Wiebe.

Graveside services were held at 10:00 am Monday, June 2, 2008 at the Faith Evangelical Bible Church Cemetery at Henderson with the Reverend J. Edward Epp officiating and was followed by a Memorial service at 10:30 at the Mennonite Brethren Church in Henderson. Memorials may be directed to the church.