Anna Ewert

Anna Ewert (b. January 14, 1914), the daughter of David H. and Agatha (Baerg) Ewert, passed away on Monday, July 22, 2019 at The Lodge, an assisted living facility of the Good Samaritan Society, Mt. Lake, Minnesota. She was born on the family farm in Carson Township, Cottonwood County, MN and reached the age of 105 years, 6 months and 8 days. Anna grew up on a dairy farm in Carson Township. next to the Carson Mennonite Brethren Church Cemetery, Cottonwood County where she will be buried. The fifth of 12 children, she shucked corn, milked cows, gardened and cooked for her large family. She also worked outside the home as a nanny for families needing household help. Anna attended grades 1-7 at District 16 C (Central) School. She graduated from 8th grade at the Mt. Lake German Bible School and from the Mt. Lake High School. Anna committed her life to Jesus Christ as a youth when P.R. Lange, professor from Tabor College (Hillsboro, Kansas), held evangelistic meetings at the Carson Mennonite Brethren Church. Upon her confession of faith, she was baptized in Maiden Lake (in Carson Township), by her uncle, Rev. A. J. Wiebe on July 21, 1929. Accepted as a member of the Carson MB Church, Anna taught the youngest Sunday School class, supported Sewing Circle mission programs, and served as an example of gracious, servant-living throughout her life. One day while darning socks with her mother, Anna was listening to American School of the Air (a University of Minnesota radio program in the early 1950s) when she heard about the need for volunteers to help with post-WWII reconstruction in Greece. Her interest piqued, and she told her mother, Someday I want to do that! About that same time, she read in a Mennonite publication that Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) was recruiting workers to serve in Europe. At age 40 she applied and was accepted. MCC assigned her to serve as a matron - cooking, cleaning and caring for young men in alternative service with an MCC program called PAX (Latin for peace). A year later, MCC reassigned her to Greece because her background qualified her to support another group of PAX volunteers in difficult circumstances. After a year she was reassigned to Vietnam. On her return to the United States she visited an MCC relief program in Hong Kong where she saw relief supplies she had helped pack before she left home. Anna served with MCC from 1955-1960. She often stated that life begins at 40. Why did she go? She often said, I wanted to serve and have an adventure. Letters and visits from the young men she served continued throughout her life, demonstrating her impact on them. The intriguing stories she told of her experiences ignited the next generation from her family and church to serve with MCC and MB Missions as the hands and feet of Jesus. Following her MCC assignment, Anna lived with her parents and sister Lena, in the original 1885 Bingham Lake Mennonite Brethren Church building that her father had converted into a house after the congregation moved to a new sanctuary in Delft in 1949 (renamed, the Carson MB Church). After Annas 100th birthday she moved into The Lodge. Anna worked as a Nurse Assistant at the Mt. Lake Hospital from 1961 until her retirement at age 72. She earned recognition for the tender care she gave. During retirement, she and Lena made and donated numerous quilts and comforters for MCC relief efforts, Relief Sales and gifts for family and friends. These comforters are scattered throughout the world. Although Anna never married, she was a mother-like figure to her 39 nieces and nephews and many others whose lives she touched. Anna took seriously Gods command to love our neighbor as ourselves. Her love for Jesus permeated her life and transformed each day into one of service, filled with grace and generosity. She leaves a legacy of servanthood that lives on through the impact of her life on those she served and taught. Memorials to honor Anna Ewerts life may be sent to the Carson Center at Tabor College, Hillsboro, KS 67063 or to the Mennonite Central Committee, 21 South 12th Street, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501. Anna was predeceased by her parents, David H. and Agatha; brothers and sisters, George (Alma); Susie (William) Schroeder; David M. (Minnie); Margaret (John C.) Rempel; Mary (Theodore) Lepp; William (Erma); Jacob (Linda); Henry (Matilda); Lena; Abram (Delora). She is survived by her youngest brother, Adam (Alice - deceased), from Houston, Texas. Visitation 1 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Thursday, August 1, 2019 Sturm Funeral Home, Mountain Lake Chapel 420 - 10th St. N. Mtn. Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159 Interment Information 9:30 am Friday, August 2, 2019 Carson Mennonite Brethren Cemetery North side of 350th St, East of 520th Ave Rural Delft, Minnesota, United States 56101 Service Information 10:30 am Friday, August 2, 2019 Community Bible Church-Mt Lake 500 Klein St. Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159 Food and Fellowship Please join the family immediately following the funeral service for a time of food and fellowship at the Community Bible Church, Mountain Lake, MN.