Marion Elizabeth Nafziger

Title: Marion Elizabeth Nafziger fonds

Dates of creation: 1940-1948

Physical description: 5 cm of textual records

Biographical sketch: Marion Nafziger was born 10 August 1921 to Enos and Elizabeth Erb Nafziger. She was one of four children. Her parents were members at Erb Street Mennonite Church in Waterloo. She attended high school both locally and at Eastern Mennonite High School in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

After high school graduation, she entered nurses training at Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital, graduating in June, 1945. She then received a Mennonite Central Committee assignment to work at the Relief Unit in Calcutta, India. Marion and her coworker Mildred Shoemaker sailed on 27 April, 1946. On 24 June, the ship landed in Singapore and she developed a fever. Marion and Mildred were put ashore, and Marion was diagnosed with appendicitis.

Mildred was not allowed to remain in Singapore because she had no visa, and the two were separated. Apparently, she did not have the operation. The circumstances of her death remain somewhat mysterious. She died on 8 July 1946 and was buried in Bdadari Cemetery outside of Singapore in a grave marked P-83.

Custodial history: Donated to the Mennonite Archives of Ontario by Elva Nafziger on 31 July 1992, and on an unknown date from Erb Street Mennonite Church.

Scope and content: The fonds consists of four series: 1) Diaries; 2) Correspondence; 3) Talks; 4) Obituary.

Notes: For further information, see Lorraine Roth, "Marion Elizabeth Nafziger (1921-1946)." Willing Service: Stories of Ontario Mennonite Women. Waterloo, ON: Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario, 1992, p. 191-195.

Archival description created December 2008 by Laureen Harder-Gissing

File list:

1. Diaries

Five year diary, 1940-1945

Travel diary, 1946

2. Correspondence

1. Letters by Marian Nafziger, 1942-1945
2. Letters to Marian Nafziger and letters about her death, 1946-1948

3. Talks

Texts for two talks by Marian Nzfziger, (undated)

4. Obituary

Obituary, (undated)