Susanna & Daughters:
Susie, Anna, Grandma, Mary, Barbara, Elizabeth
97-Year-Old Huronian Marks Birthday on Mother's Day
(newspaper article)
A wiry little woman dressed in black satin with black head shawl will attend services at Bethesda Mennonite Church today as she does every Sunday and every Mother's Day.
Mother's Days have come and gone for Mrs. Susanna Tschetter, but Mother's Day 1960 is a special one for her. It is her 97th birthday. Though her birthday is always near Mother's Day it only happens on the exact day once in a long time.
Living at her home, 837 Simmons Ave. S.E., with her daughter, Miss Elizabeth Tschetter, Mrs. Tschetter is still active.
Much of her time she spends reading her German Bible printed in heavy black type. She has read the Bible six times in her life and while she uses glasses for reading she does not use them to move about the house.
Mrs. Tschetter washes dishes and still does a little mending and sewing. She loves to work in the garden. This stems from her active life on the farm when she worked in the field with her husband, the late Rev. John Tschetter. She, too, was a great help to him in his 50-year ministry at Bridgewater and Bethel Church north of Huron.
For as long as six weeks at a time Mrs. Tschetter managed their farm (17 miles northeast of Huron) while her husband was on preaching tours. On one occasion she asked permission to build a granary while he was preaching in Canada. When he returned several weeks later the granary was ready for use. Did she actually do the work? No, but she knew how to oversee the job.
Born in southern Russia May 8, 1863, Susanna Mendel came to America in 1873 with her mother and seven brothers and sisters. Her father had died three years previous. They settled 50 miles north of Yankton on the James River.
As a young girl she remembers how cold she was when riding in a wagon for two days with her brother when they hauled grain 50 miles to Yankton.v Susanna Mendel and the Rev. John Tschetter were married Nov. 13, 1881. He was pastor of Salem Mennonite Church at Bridgewater and they farmed on his father's homestead 10 miles away.
In 1908 the family moved to Beadle County and lived on their farm near the Bethel Church which he was to serve 39 years. In 1848 the Rev. Mr. Tschetter retired from the ministry and farming and moved to Huron.
Blessed with a long marriage, the Tschetters marked their 70th wedding anniversary Nov. 13, 1951. The Rev. Mr. Tschetter died the same month.
Eleven children were born to the Tschetters, 10 of whom survive and all but two live in Huron or the immediate area. Mrs. Jacob T. Hofer, the oldest daughter, is 77 and lives at Carpenter, another daughter, Mrs. John J. Wollman lives at Dolton.
Three sons in the medical profession all have at some time practiced in Huron and one is practicing here at the present time. They are Dr. John S. Tschetter, Dr. Paul S. Tschetter, Huron, and Dr. Joseph Tschetter, Whitehall, Wis.
Mrs. Albert Hohm lives on the home farm northeast of Huron and Mrs. Louis Hohm lives in rural Huron. Residing in Huron are Jacob A. Tschetter and world - traveler, David S. Tschetter, who with his wife has taken several trips to Europe and the Holy Land. Miss Elizabeth Tschetter makes her home with her mother.
The medical profession has taken hold among the 33 grandchildren, too, and it is quite remarkable to think the Mrs. Tschetter has six grandsons who are doctors and Dick Tschetter who has one more year at John Hopkins University medical school.
The six are Dr. Wilbert Hohm, Dallas, Tex.; Dr. Clifford Tschetter, San Francisco; Dr. Amos Hover, Seattle; Dr. Theodore Hohm, Dr. Paul Hohm and Dr. Emil Hofer, all of Huron.
Two grandsons, John J. Wollman, and Harris Wollman, superintendent at Salem, plan to receive their doctor of philosophy degrees from the University of Wyoming this summer.
Two granddaughters, Mrs. Roger Bradfield, Huron, and Mrs. William Pfautz, Fort Madison, Ia., are registered nurses. Elgin Wollman M.A. is a consultant for Visual Education Inc., Chicago and Arthur tschetter M.A. is business manager at Souther State Normal, Springfield.