Edna Stucky

Edna Guhr Stucky was born in Marion County, Ks, on December 30, 1928, the 9th child of Birkholtz and Eva Goertz Guhr. She attended the Sand Creek #33 grade school for six years walking the 1/2 mile from their farm north of Walton. In 1938 her parents purchased a farm near Potwin, Ks, and she finished grade school in a small one-room schoolhouse there. She attended Burns High School for one year and then she was one of the first 16 students when Berean Academy started in Elbing in 1946.

Edna was baptized upon her profession of faith at the age of 17 by Rev. J. C. Kaufman at the Emmaus Mennonite Church near Whitewater. Prior to being baptized Rev Kaufman went to each one and asked if they had personally accepted Jesus as Savior. Up until that point she could not say yes but she wanted to, so she confessed her sins and accepted God’s gift of salvation. She said many times how important that is and she was so thankful for Rev. Kaufman caring enough to ask her personally.

It was at a youth party at the Burns Mennonite Church where Edna met Silas Stucky. Their courtship was often to church services or youth parties. All in God’s plan, on August 26, 1948, they were married at Emmaus. “Hitherto hath the Lord led us” (I Samuel 7:12) was their wedding and life verse as they depended on Him for wisdom and grace for every day.

Edna’s love for music began when her many brothers and sister Rose gathered with their mother at the piano or autoharp most every evening. Her brothers formed the Guhr Brothers Quartet and sang widely, with Edna helping select songs and singing with them occasionally. She learned to play the guitar, autoharp, piano, harmonica, and the pitch pipe.

Silas and Edna enjoyed farming all of their married lives, first in the Burns and Peabody areas, and attended the Burns Church. In 1956 God provided a farm north of Elbing and this became their family farm for the next 53 years where they raised four daughters: Elaine, Bonnie, Nadine, and Diane. They attended Zion Mennonite Church in Elbing all of those years, serving on committees and teaching Sunday School. The Ladies Sextet was a joy to her as they sang in hospitals and nursing homes for more than 20 years.

Daily morning devotions found Mom and Dad with the family around the kitchen table with the Bible and the devotions Our Daily Bread, teaching us much about faith. Kneeling in prayer showed reverence and sought God’s wisdom and grace. From the girls early years, the family sang together as the Stucky Family Singers with Edna playing the guitar and Silas sharing devotionals as they gave programs in the area. Their ministry included monthly services to El Dorado, Whitewater, and Peabody nursing homes and to the El Dorado jail with Rev. Harold Graber, the Zion pastor, (Stan’s father) sharing the salvation message.

On the farm many hands make light work and working together as a family brought many blessings. Wheat harvest was the highlight of the year, and the daughters learned the skills to share in the work at an early age. As the family grew with sons-in law and grandchildren there were many who gathered in the harvests and rode in the grain trucks to Elbing Grain. Soon the grandchildren took over the driving while Edna gathered in the garden and made a hearty supper for the family harvest crew. Throughout the years the farm provided everything needed, from a dairy to wheat fields, gardens, fruit trees, and chickens, beef, and pigs in the barnyard. She exemplified much about nurturing and Proverbs 31 describes her well, as she met the needs of her family in every season. While she worked, she would often sing a hymn, thus instilling in her girls her love for and dependence on the Lord.

When Berean started having their annual craft fairs in the 1980’s she asked Mark and Diane if they would like to have a booth together, selling wheat harvested from the farm and baking goods. Thus started the business Country Blessings which continued until 2020. What a heritage of wholesome, healthy, and delicious homegrown and homemade foods. Definitely a blessing from the family farm, for all of us and others.

Edna was a good seamstress and made many of the girls banquet dresses and wedding gowns. Her love was embroidery and quilting and she combined that into making many quilts. She pieced together log cabin quilts for the girls for their wedding. Then she made quilts for each of the 15 grandchildren, gifting a full-size embroidered wedding ring quilt on their special day. Then she started making embroidered baby quilts and thru the years made 46 for them with a few more waiting for God’s next little blessing to our family.

Edna was a mother to many as she welcomed the girl’s friends into her home. Many neighbor kids came over not only to work together in the hay field or harvest, but also to spend time as friends. She enjoyed farm families or relatives stopping by and sharing a meal together. Several Berean students stayed with them while they attended school there. She worked as a janitor for the Elbing Grade School with Hilda Regier and encouraged the teachers in lifelong friendships. She was also a postmaster at the Elbing Post Office. This sparked her interest in stamp collecting, of which she has volumes. But her family and farming were her top priorities.

Edna started recording her life story in 1991 while sitting in the grain truck waiting for the combine to fill with wheat. She continued adding for many years as life unfolded. The daughters helped put the book together in 2005 which she called “Our Family Blessings”, recognizing God as the Provider of all things. What a legacy of faith and hard work, from God directing our ancestors to come to America to carrying on the faith and traditions of her Low German “Plautdietsch” Mennonite heritage, including delicious generational recipes.

In 2009 at the age of 82 Dad and Mom decided that it was time for a farm auction and to retire from working the land. It was a difficult decision and was long in coming but they felt God leading them on. God provided a house for them at the edge of Elbing where they could still see the yard light from their window. Their farming legacy continues with Mark and Diane’s son Matt and Kendra and their family tending the farm, working the land. They enjoyed 10 years in Elbing, continued to attend the Zion church when they could, and visited with neighbors, family, and friends. The church and the Elbing community held friendships that ran deep for decades.

In 2018 they moved to an independent apartment at Presbyterian Manor in Newton. There they enjoyed the church services, Bible studies, and dining with friends.

In 2020 the family renovated part of Mark and Diane’s home into an apartment for them to come back home. Being with family meant so much. They enjoyed seeing the sun rise over the lake and the birds coming to the feeders outside their window. They loved all the projects Marks did to give them joy. The back patio was a joyful place to drive their scooters and enjoy the shade and gentle breezes, visiting with family and friends, looking over the fields watching the field work being done. The Sunday dinners with Marks family and the visits from their daughters, sons-in-law, and the 5 generations of children brought much love and they treasured the multi-generational interactions. “t’s been a gift having them in our home honoring them and making memories that will last a lifetime.”

In 2022 it was so difficult to lose Silas after sharing their lives together for 74 years. She never had a harsh word for him nor complained about anything. Her life was rhythmic with the cycle of life and seasons, and it gave her much joy. She was the forever optimist as an encourager to Dad and the girls. It was only by God’s amazing grace that she was able to face the days alone without him. She longed for the day when she would join him in heaven and meet Jesus face to face.

The last few months became difficult and as more care was needed, she spent time at Wheatstate Manor in Whitewater. Her impact there was evidence of her faith. She was a testimony of God’s faithfulness even to the end. Many expressed their thankfulness for her being there, for her cheerfulness, smiles, and bold questions of if they were saved, if they believed in God, and if they went to church. We trust that many were encouraged in their walk of faith or they were challenged to know God and the salvation He offers. What an example that we all should follow. "One generation shall praise thy works to another and shall declare thy mighty acts". It's up to all of us as Edna’s family and friends to carry on the faith without wavering and pass it on to our children’s children and all whom God brings into our lives.

Edna passed into the presence of her Savior on February 11, 2026, at the age of 97. She is survived by her daughters and their husbands: Elaine Schmidt of Elbing, Bonnie & Stan Graber of rural Burns, Nadine Friesen BC Canada, and Diane & Mark Veer of rural Newton. She has 15 grandchildren: Elaine’s: Sam & Sheila Schmidt and Ben & Shena Schmidt. Bonnie’s: Jessica & Chad Lettau, Jeremiah & Jenny Graber, Phil & Alicia Graber, Abby & Clint Clark. Nadine’s: Meredith Friesen & Brad Smith, Elliott & Erika Friesen, Mitchell & Michaela Friesen, Merrill & Grace Friesen, and Katrina & Trevor Sadlier. Diane’s: Natalie & Garrett Klassen, Matthew & Kendra Veer, Andrew & Rebekah Veer, Tiffany & Christopher Hall. There are 46 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. She is survived by three Stucky sisters-in-law: Ruby (John) Stucky, Nina Faye (Joe) Stucky, and Alice (Daniel) Stucky, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband Silas Stucky, a great granddaughter Annabel Friesen, her parents. Birkholtz (BG) and Eva Guhr, all of her siblings and their spouses: Lydia Guhr, John and Velma Guhr, Dan and Velma Guhr, Sam and Linda Guhr, Rose and Dick Flaming, Arnold and Malinda Guhr, Otto and Martha Guhr, Jeannette Guhr, Adolf and Elda Guhr, and Milt and Ruth Anne Guhr.

The memorial service for Edna will be on Saturday February 28, 2026, at 11:00 at the Zion Mennonite Church in Elbing with a lunch following. The burial will be prior at 9:30 at the Burns Countryside Church. Visitation will be the evening before on Friday February 27, 2026, at Lamb Mortuary in Whitewater with the family greeting from 6:00-8:00. Memorials may be made to Gideons International.