Dodge City - Frances Irene Wedel, age 87, passed away Saturday morning, August 28, 2021 at the Manor of the Plains nursing home, Dodge City. She was born April 10, 1934 at Enid, Oklahoma, the daughter of Cornelius H. and Tena A. (Kroeker) Ediger.

She was born in a Christian family where she was taught about the Bible and Jesus Christ. Her family attended church and was very involved in church work.  As a young girl she attended North Enid Elementary school. Her family moved to Pampa, Texas when she was in 4 ^th grade, where her father worked on the Air Force base as an airplane mechanic, during WW2. They went to a Baptist church while they were in Pampa, where she went forward, one Sunday, when the pastor gave the alter call. Mom said that the pastor never talked to her and she wasn't sure of her salvation. The family moved back to North Enid, after the war, when she was in 6 ^th grade. She attended Kremlin High School, even though they lived closer to Enid, because the bus went right by their house. It was during this time that her parents felt the call to go to the mission field. This led the family to move to south Texas where her father attended the Rio Grande Bible Institute. They lived in Edinburg, Texas where she attended high school. Her and her sister, Deloris remarked that it was an adjustment because they seemed to be the only English speaking girls they knew, which caused them to become the best of friends.

After high school, Mom followed her dad's footsteps in attending Rio Grande Bible Institute and graduated after 3 years on May 27 ^th 1955. It was while she was there, that Mom met Dad as he was studying there, too. Mom shared with Dad that she wasn't sure she was a Christian because the Baptist pastor hadn't really prayed with her. So my Dad told her that it didn't hurt to do it again; Dad prayed with her to make sure. She married Benjamin H. Wedel on May 28 ^th 1955, in Edinburg, Texas. Mom would tell us that she graduated one day and got married the next.  They honeymooned in Niagara Falls, New York, because they had planned to work at a Bible school located in New York. After a short time, the school closed down and they moved back to south Texas where they made plans to serve the Lord as missionaries in Monclova, Mexico, with the Mexican Militant Missions.

During their 14 years in Monclova, they were involved in teaching at the Bible Institute and Seminary, church planting in the neighboring villages, as well as raising a family. Mom shared with us that God gave her a strong stomach because while visiting the villages, they didn't always know what they were eating. She taught typing and English at the Bible Institute. Mom would tell us that in those days, she could type 100 words a minute. She loved the Spanish people and the Spanish language and became fluent in it being able to help teach her father also.

They moved back to the States when their children were older, in 1969 and pastored churches in Marshall, Arkansas, then Pharr, Texas and lastly, Burlington, Colorado. While in Arkansas, she ran a daycare out of the home to help supplement their income. And during their time in Texas, they had a car accident which caused her to stay off her feet and recuperate. It was during this time that she rediscovered her interest in crocheting. After that, her family enjoyed many crocheted items like afghans, doilies, hot pads, and kitchen hand towels. She loved giving away baby afghans and kitchen hand towels that she had crocheted. You may be one of the recipients of her creations.

Once again, they felt the call to go back to the mission field, when the kids were out of the house. They went to Guadalajara, Mexico and were involved in church planting under the Mennonite Brethren Missions. Mom hosted many Bible studies, other ladies functions and helped her husband in the ministry. They were there from 1986 to 1997 when Dad turned 65 and retired. They moved back to the states to Kansas to live closer to family and enjoy the grandkids. Soon after moving back, they discovered that Dad was sick with Lewy Body Dementia.  Mom was, as usual, right by his side, as she cared for him until he passed away in 2000. They were married 45 years. She continued to live in Dodge City near family. She attended the Cimarron MB Church at first and later the Grace Community Church. She attended there for 15 years and was involved in ladies Bible studies. Mom joined a support group with Hospice of the Prairie after Dad's passing, which led to her becoming a volunteer there. She was a volunteer for 15 years in various capacities and helped translate for them with many of the Spanish speaking patients. She always would say that she wanted to help out where ever she could and be useful while she was still here.

Mom's hobbies were crocheting, word search puzzles, coloring, playing games with the family and putting puzzles together. She had a real sweet tooth and her favorite candy was tootsie rolls. Her favorite treat was strawberry milkshakes. She loved reading books about prophecy and her favorite author was Dr. David Jeremiah. Her favorite verse was Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Mom loved gospel music and enjoyed the Gaither Gospel Hour and was able to go see them in concert, once, when they came to Dodge City.

Frances is survived by her children; Carol Stevens and her husband David of Vinita, Oklahoma, Sharon Loewen and her husband Verle of Meade, Kansas, Tim Wedel and his wife Zee of Kansas City, Missouri, and Steve Wedel and his friend Maria Cabrera of Dodge City, Kansas; 13 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; a sister Deloris Thiessen and a brother Allen Ediger, sisters-in-law Dorothy Buller and Nora Nickel and brother-in-law George Wedel. She is preceded in death by her husband Benjamin, her parents Cornelius and Tina Ediger, sister and brother-in-law Lavina and Raymond Patzkowsky, sister-in-law Jean Ediger and brother-in-law Harvey Nickel.

Funeral services will be held at Swaim Funeral Chapel on Saturday, September 4, 2021 at 10:00 AM with Pastor Kirk Larson presiding. Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery in Dodge City. Visitation will be at Swaim Funeral Chapel on Friday, September 3, 2021 from noon to 8:00 PM. The family would welcome memorials to Hospice of the Prairie in care of the funeral home. Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at www.swaimfuneralhome.com.