John Edwin Vogt, Hillsboro
John Edwin Vogt Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information (jostfuneralhome.com)
July 9, 1924 - May 15, 2021
Hillsboro - John Edwin Vogt, 96, passed away May 15, 2021 at Hillsboro Community Hospital in Hillsboro. He was born July 9, 1924 to Cornelius and Marie (Heidebrecht) Vogt in Corn, Oklahoma. He married Hilda Thiessen May 31, 1949 at Zoar Church in Inman.
Survivors include: son, Michael (Georgia) Vogt of Sterling; daughters, Brenda (Lynn) Plett of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Janette (Don) Brubacher of Hillsdale, Michigan; seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Predeceased by his wife Hilda Vogt in 2015.
Celebration of Life service 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at The Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church in Hillsboro. Family will receive friends from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Church. Memorials to Tabor College or the M.B. Church in care of Jost Funeral Home, P.O. Box 266, Hillsboro, KS 67063.
Online condolences at www.jostfuneralhome.com
Life sketch taken from the funeral bulletin
John Edwin Vogt was born on July 9, 1924 to Cornelius and Marie (Heidebrecht) Vogt at Corn, Oklahoma. John was the third of five boys and grew up on the family farm seven miles southeast of Corn. He died on May 15, 2021 in Hillsboro, Kansas, reaching, by God’s mercy, the age of 96 years, 10 months and 6 days.
He received his grade school education at Friendship Country School in Washita County and graduated from Corn High School in 1942. He also earned a Bible diploma at Corn Bible Academy in the year following high school graduation,
The Vogt family attended the Mennonite Brethren Church where John received Christ as personal Savior at a young age and was baptized and received as a member. He participated in youth activities, sang in the choir and taught Sunday School.
After high school, John served in Civilian Public Service in Fort Collins, Colorado, Farnhurst, Delaware, (a hospital unit) and Clear Spring, Maryland, where he was business manager and educational director.
He graduated from Tabor College in Hillsboro, KS in 1950 and received a master’s degree in secondary education at Oklahoma University in 1951. He went on to earn his doctor of education degree in 1970 from Oklahoma University in Norman, OK.
He taught a total of 41 years at schools in Oklahoma and Kansas. Among these were Alta Vista, KS, Corn Bible Academy, Tabor College, Oklahoma University, El Reno Jr. High School, Moore, Oklahoma as an administrator and counselor, and after earning his doctorate, taught at Southern Nazarene University. The final 21 years of teaching were completed at Sterling College, in Sterling, Kansas. Christian Education was always his first consideration and passion.
At Tabor College he met Hilda Ann Thiessen from Inman, Kansas. They were married at the Zoar M. B. Church in Inman, KS on May 31, 1949. Three children were born into this home: two daughters, Brenda Jean and Janette Lynne and one son, Michael John. Special joys with children and grandchildren included family vacations, birthdays, camping and spending holidays together as a family.
John especially enjoyed serving Christ in a lay-ministry capacity in several churches in Oklahoma and Kansas while involved in Christian education. During the last 14 years before retirement, he served as lay minister at the Hopewell Presbyterian Church near Beloit, KS while teaching at Sterling College
John retired from Sterling College in May of 1989. Three years after retirement, John and Hilda moved to Hillsboro, Kansas where they joined the Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church, and enjoyed the privilege of serving in various capacities, including the office of deacons and church council. He also filled a need at Tabor College supervising secondary student teachers for the education department.
Retirement presented them many opportunities for volunteer work in the community. John served on the board of directors for Parkside Homes, delivered Meals on Wheels, volunteered at the Et Cetera shop, participated in Christian Businessmen’s prayer group and was part of many volunteer projects at Tabor College, including a year in which he helped restore the stained glass in the chapel. John enjoyed singing with the Kansas Mennonite Men’s Chorus for about 28 years.
John and Hilda also served as tour directors for Prudent Tours of Hillsboro, Kansas, an experience which saw them visiting Canada, South America, Mexico and many interesting parts of the United States. They also took their own trips to Europe and Hawaii.
In November of 2006, John and Hilda moved into Park Village apartments in Hillsboro, which later became assisted living. He lost his beloved wife, Hilda, in February of 2015. In October, 2017, John moved to Parkside Homes. John was especially grateful for the kindness and care of the Parkside staff and community who helped him face the challenges of declining strength and blindness.
Those left to praise God for his life and mourn his passing are his three children, Brenda and husband Lynn Plett of Colorado Springs, Janette and husband Don Brubacher of Hillsdale, Michigan, and Mike and wife Georgia of Sterling, Kansas, seven grandchildren, Matthew Plett, Scott Brubacher, Grant Brubacher, Stacy Plett Neale, Andrew Brubacher, along with their spouses, Erik Vogt, Hannah Vogt, and 11 great-grandchildren, also survive him.
John was preceded in death by his wife, Hilda, and by his four brothers and his parents.
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