Silas P.I. Stucky

Silas P.I. Stucky was born on October 14, 1927 to Peter T. and Ida JC Gehring Stucky in McPherson County Kansas. He attended the Mound Grade School and the Eden Mennonite Church, rural Moundridge. Silas was baptized upon his profession of faith in Christ Jesus at the age of 16 by Rev. Walter Gehring at Eden. Faith, family, and farming were the integral parts of his life. In 1940 when Silas was 13 his parents purchased a farm near Burns and he attended school there, graduating from the Burns High School in 1945. He loved playing basketball there and after high school his brothers formed the Stucky brothers’ team and played competitively for several years. During his high school years, the believers in the community desired to have a church in which to worship and in 1946-47 Silas worked alongside his father and brothers to construct the Burns Mennonite Church just west of Burns, of which they became charter members. It was at a youth party at this church where Silas met the love of his life, Edna Guhr. All in God’s perfect plan, on August 26, 1948 they were married at the Emmaus Mennonite Church of rural Whitewater, Edna’s home church. “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” I Samuel 7:12 was their wedding and life verse as they depended on Him for wisdom and grace for every day. Silas and Edna enjoyed farming all of their married lives, trusting God as the provider of all things. In their early years of marriage, they farmed in the Burns and Peabody areas and attended the Burns Mennonite Church. In 1956 God provided a farm north of Elbing and this became their home for the next 53 years where they raised four daughters, Elaine, Bonnie, Nadine, and Diane. They attended Zion Mennonite Church in Elbing all those years, serving on the evangelism and kitchen committees as well as teaching Sunday School and ushering. On the farm many hands made light work and working together as a family brought many blessings. Wheat harvests were the highlight of the year and as the family grew with grandchildren there were many who gathered in the harvests and drove the trucks to Elbing Grain. Silas loved having the grandchildren ride with him on the combine or tractor and the rhythmic sound of the field work lulled them to sleep. The farm provided everything needed for his family to survive and thrive, from a dairy in the early years to the wheat fields, garden, fruit trees, and animals in the barnyard. Neighboring farm families shared in the work of baling hay and stacking it high in the barns for winter feeding. Friendships ran deep over these many years accomplishing the tasks required for survival on the family farm. Daily morning devotions found his family gathered around the kitchen table with Our Daily Bread and the Bible, teaching them much about God. Kneeling for prayer sought God’s wisdom and grace. From the girls’ early years, the family sang together with Edna playing the guitar and Silas sharing devotionals as they gave programs in the area. They were known as the “Stucky Family Singers” (who you listened to when you arrived). Their ministry of music included monthly services to the El Dorado, Whitewater, and Peabody nursing homes and the El Dorado jail with Rev. Harold Graber, the Zion pastor, sharing the salvation message. We trust that many came to know the Lord through this influence. In 2009 at the age of 82 they had a farm auction and retired from working the land. God provided a house for them in Elbing where they could still see the yard light on the barn from their window. Their farming legacy continues with grandson Matt and his family tending the family farm. They enjoyed 10 years in Elbing, continued to attend Zion when they could, and visited with neighbors, family, and friends. The Zion Church and the Elbing community have always held friendships that run deep. In 2018 they moved into an independent apartment at Presbyterian Manor in Newton. There they had many friends, and they especially enjoyed the church services and dining with friends. In 2020 they moved into their home made for them at Mark and Diane’s. Being back with family meant so much. Silas enjoyed seeing the fields worked, the hay baled, and the crops growing. Nothing like life back in the country! The Sunday dinners with family and the visits from the generations of children brought a lot of love. “It’s been a gift to have them in our home these 18 months honoring him and making memories to last us all a lifetime. Thank you, Dad, for passing on your faith. We, too, in heaven will be.” Silas passed into the presence of his Savior on August 2, 2022 at the age of 94. He is survived by his wife Edna of 73 years and their daughters and husbands, Elaine (Schmidt) of Elbing, Bonnie (Stan Graber) rural Burns, Nadine (Friesen) BC Canada, and Diane (Mark Veer) rural Newton. They have 15 grandchildren: Sam and Sheila Schmidt and Ben and Shena Schmidt. Jessica and Chad Lettau, Jer and Jenny Graber, Phil and Alicia Graber, and Abby and Clint Clark. Meredith Friesen and Brad Smith, Elliott and Erika Friesen, Mitchell and Michaela Friesen, Merrill and Grace Friesen, and Katie and Trevor Sadlier. Natalie and Garrett Klassen, Matthew and Kendra Veer, Andrew and Rebekah Veer, and Tiffany and Christopher Hall. There are 42 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. He is survived by three sisters in law Ruby (John) Stucky, Faye (Joseph) Stucky, and Alice (Daniel) Stucky, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was proceeded in death by his parents, seven brothers Samuel (Florence), David (Esther), Jonas (Della), Paul (Leta), John, Joseph, and Daniel, and one sister Esther (Wayne) Ott. The memorial service will be held on Saturday August 13 with the burial at the Burns Countryside Church at 9:30. The service will be at 11:00 at the Zion Mennonite Church in Elbing with a lunch following. Visitation will be the evening prior on Aug 12 at the Lamb Funeral Home in Whitewater with family greeting from 6:00-8:00. The memorial service will be lived streamed at the following link twitch.tv/zionmennonite.  Memorials may be made to the donor’s choice in Silas’s honor or to Berean Academy where Edna was in the first class in 1946. Please sign his online guestbook and leave a memory of Silas at www.yazelmeglifh.com.