HESSTON — Frances Elma Decker, 94, died Sunday (Aug. 25, 2008) at Schowalter Villa in Hesston.
She was born Dec. 8, 1913, near Roxbury to Adam S. and Agnes (Unruh) Ratzlaff.
She attended school through the eighth grade in the rural area of Roxbury. After school, she worked for other families babysitting and helping with the housework. She moved to Salina and continued to work as a nanny, living with the families.
At the church youth group, she met and dated her future husband, Alva. On Dec. 20, 1932, she married Alva Decker in Tampa.
In 1947, they moved to Newton. Her work outside the home included working at a poultry company, in a bakery, at Presbyterian Manor, at a laundry mat, as a seamstress for a drapery company and as a crossing guard for the Newton Public Schools. During this time, she also took care of her family, as well as a one-acre garden.
She was charter member of Newton Bible Church in Newton and remained active in the church by singing in the choir and serving as a Sunday school teacher. She and Alva loved to read and continued until her eyesight began to fail. They loved to travel as a family when the children were young, and then visiting the children as adults with families of their own.
Survivors include two sons, Glennon Decker of Sun City West, Ariz., and Bryan Decker of Arvada, Colo.; daughter, Lola Hostetler of Chandler, Ariz; sister, Clara Wance of Hesston; two brothers, Wesley Ratzlaff of Hutchinson and Clinton Ratzlaff of Maxwell, Iowa; 12 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her husband, Alva; her parents; a sister, Hilda Mitchell; a son Gylmer Decker; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home in Newton, with the family greeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m.
Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Newton Bible Church.
Memorials may be made to Newton Bible Church or the American Cancer Society in care of the funeral home.
Friends may sign a guestbook online at www.broadwaycolonialfh.com.
Newton Kansan
Posted Aug 26, 2008
She was born Dec. 8, 1913, near Roxbury to Adam S. and Agnes (Unruh) Ratzlaff.
She attended school through the eighth grade in the rural area of Roxbury. After school, she worked for other families babysitting and helping with the housework. She moved to Salina and continued to work as a nanny, living with the families.
At the church youth group, she met and dated her future husband, Alva. On Dec. 20, 1932, she married Alva Decker in Tampa.
In 1947, they moved to Newton. Her work outside the home included working at a poultry company, in a bakery, at Presbyterian Manor, at a laundry mat, as a seamstress for a drapery company and as a crossing guard for the Newton Public Schools. During this time, she also took care of her family, as well as a one-acre garden.
She was charter member of Newton Bible Church in Newton and remained active in the church by singing in the choir and serving as a Sunday school teacher. She and Alva loved to read and continued until her eyesight began to fail. They loved to travel as a family when the children were young, and then visiting the children as adults with families of their own.
Survivors include two sons, Glennon Decker of Sun City West, Ariz., and Bryan Decker of Arvada, Colo.; daughter, Lola Hostetler of Chandler, Ariz; sister, Clara Wance of Hesston; two brothers, Wesley Ratzlaff of Hutchinson and Clinton Ratzlaff of Maxwell, Iowa; 12 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her husband, Alva; her parents; a sister, Hilda Mitchell; a son Gylmer Decker; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home in Newton, with the family greeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m.
Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Newton Bible Church.
Memorials may be made to Newton Bible Church or the American Cancer Society in care of the funeral home.
Friends may sign a guestbook online at www.broadwaycolonialfh.com.
Newton Kansan
Posted Aug 26, 2008
HESSTON — Frances Elma Decker, 94, died Sunday (Aug. 25, 2008) at Schowalter Villa in Hesston.
She was born Dec. 8, 1913, near Roxbury to Adam S. and Agnes (Unruh) Ratzlaff.
She attended school through the eighth grade in the rural area of Roxbury. After school, she worked for other families babysitting and helping with the housework. She moved to Salina and continued to work as a nanny, living with the families.
At the church youth group, she met and dated her future husband, Alva. On Dec. 20, 1932, she married Alva Decker in Tampa.
In 1947, they moved to Newton. Her work outside the home included working at a poultry company, in a bakery, at Presbyterian Manor, at a laundry mat, as a seamstress for a drapery company and as a crossing guard for the Newton Public Schools. During this time, she also took care of her family, as well as a one-acre garden.
She was charter member of Newton Bible Church in Newton and remained active in the church by singing in the choir and serving as a Sunday school teacher. She and Alva loved to read and continued until her eyesight began to fail. They loved to travel as a family when the children were young, and then visiting the children as adults with families of their own.
Survivors include two sons, Glennon Decker of Sun City West, Ariz., and Bryan Decker of Arvada, Colo.; daughter, Lola Hostetler of Chandler, Ariz; sister, Clara Wance of Hesston; two brothers, Wesley Ratzlaff of Hutchinson and Clinton Ratzlaff of Maxwell, Iowa; 12 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her husband, Alva; her parents; a sister, Hilda Mitchell; a son Gylmer Decker; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home in Newton, with the family greeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m.
Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Newton Bible Church.
Memorials may be made to Newton Bible Church or the American Cancer Society in care of the funeral home.
Friends may sign a guestbook online at www.broadwaycolonialfh.com.
Newton Kansan
Posted Aug 26, 2008
She was born Dec. 8, 1913, near Roxbury to Adam S. and Agnes (Unruh) Ratzlaff.
She attended school through the eighth grade in the rural area of Roxbury. After school, she worked for other families babysitting and helping with the housework. She moved to Salina and continued to work as a nanny, living with the families.
At the church youth group, she met and dated her future husband, Alva. On Dec. 20, 1932, she married Alva Decker in Tampa.
In 1947, they moved to Newton. Her work outside the home included working at a poultry company, in a bakery, at Presbyterian Manor, at a laundry mat, as a seamstress for a drapery company and as a crossing guard for the Newton Public Schools. During this time, she also took care of her family, as well as a one-acre garden.
She was charter member of Newton Bible Church in Newton and remained active in the church by singing in the choir and serving as a Sunday school teacher. She and Alva loved to read and continued until her eyesight began to fail. They loved to travel as a family when the children were young, and then visiting the children as adults with families of their own.
Survivors include two sons, Glennon Decker of Sun City West, Ariz., and Bryan Decker of Arvada, Colo.; daughter, Lola Hostetler of Chandler, Ariz; sister, Clara Wance of Hesston; two brothers, Wesley Ratzlaff of Hutchinson and Clinton Ratzlaff of Maxwell, Iowa; 12 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her husband, Alva; her parents; a sister, Hilda Mitchell; a son Gylmer Decker; and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home in Newton, with the family greeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m.
Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Newton Bible Church.
Memorials may be made to Newton Bible Church or the American Cancer Society in care of the funeral home.
Friends may sign a guestbook online at www.broadwaycolonialfh.com.
Newton Kansan
Posted Aug 26, 2008
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