Inez Koehn

Inez (Wiebe) Koehn, 90, loving daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and friend, passed away Dec. 18, 2014. She formerly lived in North Newton and had been living at Presbyterian Manor since March 2014.

She was born in Hillsboro to Peter K. Wiebe and Elsie Lizzie Schroeder Wiebe. Her first few years she lived on her mother's home place north of Hillsboro, later moving into Hillsboro and then to a farm northwest of Newton. She attended Sand Creek School District #57, in Harvey Co. and graduated from Walton High School in 1942.

She married George Koehn on June 15, 1944. They were married 53 years until he passed away in 1997. Together they raised their children, James (Alice) of Westminster, Colorado; Virginia (Ron) Benninghoff of Newton; Stanley (Teresa) of Manhattan; and Brad, also of Manhattan. Their son Steven passed away in 2013.

Also surviving is another son by choice: Larry Britton of Wichita, and a sister, Ruth (Gus) Regehr of Hutchinson.

She is survived by four grandsons; four step-grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; 13 step-great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; three step-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents; older sister, Ethlyn Goertz; and brother, James Wiebe.

Her full-time job was raising five children, and no mother has ever dedicated herself to her children more than Inez has. When asked to name her best lifetime achievement, without hesitation she would say, "raising five kids."

Her family would like to say a special thank you to Dr. Robert Roeser and staff; the staff at Presbyterian Manor, both in Anderson Place and Haury Place; and the staff from Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice for their gentle care and kindness.

Cremation has taken place. There will be a memorial service at Bethel College Mennonite Church announced at a later date in 2015.

Memorials may be sent to Bethel College Mennonite church, the church kitchen fund as Inez spent many, many hours serving in different capacities in the church kitchen.