Erna Barbara Roth

      Erna Barbara Roth, 92, of Wayland, died Thursday evening, Jan. 18, 2001, at the Parkview Home in Wayland.

      The funeral service was 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 22, at the Sugar Creek Mennonite Church in Wayland with the Rev. Roger Farmer officiating. Visitation will began at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, at the church with the family present from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Burial was in the Sugar Creek Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Parkview Home in Wayland. Arrangements are by the Beatty Funeral Home of Wayland.

      Mrs. Roth was born May 19, 1908, east of Wayland, the daughter of Christian E. and Emma Conrad Christner. She graduated from Wayland High School in 1926 and attended Iowa Wesleyan College where she received her teaching certificate and taught two years in a one-room country school. She married Jesse R. Roth on June 19, 1928, who preceded her in death on March 9, 1981. She was a member of the Sugar Creek Mennonite Church where she taught Sunday School and was involved with Bible study and sewing circles. She provided a home for her husband and family, and later worked at the Parkview Home in housekeeping and as a cook.

      Survivors include two sons, Arnold C. and Lucille Roth of South Bend, Ind. and Charles and Debra Roth of Anaheim, Calif.; three daughters, Arline Neff and Donald J. Roth of Wayland, Ruth M. and Gene Ridenour of Climax, N.C., and Mary E. and Dennis Roth of Fort Wayne, Ind.; 23 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; two daughters, Mildred E. Freeman in 1981 and Aldine E. Roth in 1986; two brothers, Irvin and Ralph Roth; three sisters, Nina Unternahrer, Florence Leichty and Verda Reschly; and a grandson, Loren Roth.