Montezuma - Our mother and grandmother, Lydia "Mae" Koehn was born to Samuel and Lydia Nichols on September 9, 1934, at Ulysses, Kansas. She peacefully passed away on December 22, 2016, at the Bethel Home in Montezuma, reaching the age of eighty-two years.

As a little baby, she lost her mother at the age of three days. Her oldest sister, Frances, took care of Mom until her father remarried Anna Koehn three years later. Along with her family, she moved from Ulysses to Fredonia, Kansas, in 1937. In 1945, they again moved as a family to California. At the age of sixteen, Mom made her lifelong commitment to serve the Lord and was baptized on February 3, 1950, by Minister Edward Jantz.

Mom married our father, Robert E. Koehn, on May 24, 1953, at Livingston, California. Soon after their marriage, Mom and Dad worked at the Larned State Hospital where Dad gave two years of alternative service. Following service they lived at Fredonia where three daughters and one son were born to them. In 1966, we moved to Montezuma.

Mom spent hours at Bethel Home working in both the kitchen and laundry departments. In later years, she would go and make beds in the mornings. She also gathered the news of the visitors and services for The Montezuma Press. After our parents moved to the Homeland congregation in 1982, they served as janitors for many years. Mom enjoyed making rugs on their loom. Dad passed away on August 23, 1996, leaving Mom lonely. When she moved to Bethel Home, she enjoyed reading, embroidering, and doing word search puzzles.

Mom was not a person who wanted attention, and her life was lived in a quiet manner. Mom never had a lot of material things, but she was rich in unconditional love and approval. She freely gave that love to her children and grandchildren and to the caregivers that helped her in many ways. We as a family appreciate the legacy of love she left us. We also know Mom loved the Lord, and her prayers were often for her family.

Life brought many health challenges to her in her later years. In June of 2007, a progressive kidney disease made dialysis her only option for living. For nine and a half years she made three trips a week to Dodge City for treatment. After many years of fortitude and courage, Mom was very tired and her desire was to go Home. Although it was difficult for her to leave her family whom she loved dearly, we are thankful that she can now be at rest in the arms of her Savior.

Those left to cherish fond memories are her children, Donna and Kalvin Salsbury of Montezuma; Rosie and David Nusz of Olathe, Colorado; Becky and Gene Kuepfer of Goltry, Oklahoma; Ken and Troylene Koehn of Bloomfield, Iowa; fourteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren; three brothers, Willis and Leona Nichols, Dewey and Thelma Koehn, and Delmar and Harriet Nichols; two sisters, Norma Koehn and Gloria Malear; two sisters-in-law, Salena Nichols and Martha Nichols; one brother-in-law, Wayne Amoth; and many other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her stepmother, five brothers, and four sisters.

Funeral service will be held at Homeland Mennonite Church, Montezuma on Tuesday December 27, 2016 at 10:30 AM with Ministers Donnie Koehn, Luther Smith, and Lyndon Toews presiding. Burial will follow at Homeland Mennonite Cemetery. Visitation will be at Swaim Funeral Chapel of Montezuma on Monday December 26, 2016 from 10:00 AM. 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.