Lydia Duerksen
Lydia Duerksen, 83, of Hillsboro died Dec. 13, 2002, at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro.
Born Aug. 20, 1919, at Bloomfield, Mont., she was the daughter of Peter and Mary (Thomas) Jantz. Her family moved to Hillsboro when she was nine.
On Feb. 27, 1941, at Hillsboro, she married Menno Duerksen. He died in September of 1989. They farmed near Lehigh. After selling the farm, she moved to a condominium in Hillsboro where she lived until moving into Parkside Homes in March of 1997.
She was a homemaker, farm wife, and member of Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church. She enjoyed taking care of her home and family. For the last few years of her life she suffered from Alzheimer's.
Survivors include sons, Gerald Duerksen and wife Jane of Abilene and Gary Duerksen and wife Janet of rural Lehigh; daughter, Laura Huelsmann and husband Dennis of Olathe; brother, Paul Jantz of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; sister, Ruth Suderman and husband Robert of rural Newton; sister-in-laws, Helen Jantz of Marion, Mildred Jantz, Lovisa Duerksen and Ethel Bartel of Hillsboro; brother-in-laws, Howard Wedel of Hesston and Robert Suderman of Newton; 12 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church with Pastor Bruce Porter officiating. Burial will be at the church cemetery.
Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday where the family will receive guests.
A memorial has been established with Mennonite Central Committee.
Condolences may be sent to the family via hillsboromemchapel @hotmail.com.
