Mrs. Aron Fedrau, Katherina Thiessen, was born on January 20, 1843 in the Province Elbing, Prussia. In the year of 1852, she with her parents, immigrated to South Russia and made their home in the village of Marienthal. In the year of 1860 she was baptized by Elder Gerhard Peters and united with the Margenauer Church. On August 25, 1860 she was united in marriage with Peter Born. To this union one son was born. On February 6, 1862, her husband passed away and the death of the son soon followed.
On August 25, 1862, she was united in marriage with Aron Regehr. Her son, Peter Born, and his son, Aaron Regehr (both the same age) didn't get along too well, so she gave her son to his grandparents--the Borns. Her son died at the age of 2 1/2 years. Aron and Katherina Regehr had ten children, of which two died in infancy. In 1876, On July 4, they, with their six children, arrived in America, settling on a farm three miles south and two and one-half miles west of Inman, Kansas. Katherina--then the youngest--was at that time two years old. Here, in America, four more children were born to them. On their farm near Inman, they reared their children to adulthood.
Aron was a farmer by occupation and Katherina kept silk worms and spun the silk into thread with a spinning wheel. The Aron Regehr family attended and belonged to the Bethel Mennonite Church, south of Inman. On December 29, 1905, Aron Regehr passed away and was buried in the South Inman Cemetery.
After nearly six and one-half years of widowhood, on April 11, 1912 Katherina was united in marriage with Aaron Fehdrau. This wedded life was a duration of 13 years, 3 months and 9 days. Her husband passed away July 20, 1925 and she remained a widow on year and seventeen days.
Katherina had been ailing for about six months and the last four months had been bedfast. She suffered severe paralytic strokes the week before her death. She passed away on August 6, 1926 at 11:15 p.m., at the age of 83 years, 6 months and 17 days.
She leaves to mourn her departure six sons and two daughters: John Regehr, Henry Regehr, J.J. Regehr, Mrs. P.M. Doerksen, A.T. Regehr, George A. Regehr of Inman, Mrs. David Boese of Liberal and C.J. Regehr of Hutchinson; 2 stepchildren, A.M. Regehr of Inman and Mrs. Jacob Warkentine of Meade; 53 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren and a host of friends.
Funeral services were conducted at the Bethel Church, Monday afternoon. Rev. Klaas Kroeker officiated and was assisted by Revs. A.P. Neufeld and P.T. Neufeld. A male quartet rendered a number of beautiful selections during the services. The remains were laid to rest in the South Cemetery.
Many were the hardships of our forefathers, first by leaving their homes in the Old Country to settle on the Kansas praries.
Thinking of the conditions as they are now in the Old Country, our hearts should be filled with gratitude toward our forefathers and with thankfulness to our Heavenly Father that we now live in this, our beloved land of Freedom and Liberty. Also for the sacrifices they made so that we now enjoy the blessings of their labor, realizing how much they endured when they first came to the United States of America.
