Montezuma -Elizabeth Schmidt Koehn was born April 14, 1921 to Ben and Susie Schmidt at Montezuma, Kansas, the tenth of thirteen children.  She peacefully passed from this life on May 18, 2020, reaching the age of 99 years.

She grew up and received her education at Montezuma. When Elizabeth was thirteen years old she gave her heart to the Lord.  She was baptized into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite on January 13, 1935.  She was a solid, sincere Christian from that time on.

Elizabeth often was found helping at home while her siblings worked away from home.  She was a good cook and housekeeper, and helped care for a big garden.  She was good at writing essays and articles.  She would write down wedding sermons longhand. Elizabeth spent a number of years, beginning in 1953, on the Navajo reservation at Greasewood, Arizona, filling different places as needed.  This was a highlight and fondly remembered part of her life.  She made enduring friendships among the Navajo and her fellow workers. Elizabeth and her sister Dessie had a bakery in Montezuma for a number of years.  It was a popular place for the men of the town to go for break.

On October 18, 1968, Elizabeth was married to Mano Koehn.  It was a double wedding.  Her sister Dessie married Otto Koehn.  Elizabeth became mother to Mano's grown children and granma to his grandchildren.  She was the only granma many of the grandchildren ever knew.  We as Mano's children much appreciated her acceptance and motherly care. One year Mom was chosen as the school Grandma.  She loved to go to school devotions and was almost always present. In her younger years Mom loved to sing and in her old age never tired of listening to singing.  Singing seemed to calm her.

She is survived by stepchildren: Verna and Lawrence Koehn, Montezuma; Karen and Archie Holdeman, Farwell, Texas; Arden and Viola, Montezuma; and daughters-in-law Verna Mae Koehn and Carol Koehn, both of Scott City. Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband, three step sons, one step daughter, six brothers and six sisters.

Graveside service will be held at Montezuma Mennonite Church on Friday, May 22, 2020 at 11:00 AM with Ministers Charles Schmidt and Kalvin Salsbury presiding. Visitation will be at Swaim Funeral Chapel, Montezuma on Thursday, May 21, 2020 from 1:00 to 7:00 PM.  Memorials are suggested to Bethel Home in care of the funeral home.  Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at www.swaimfuneralhome.com.