Susan Oesch Oesch Kipfer (1895-1991)

Dates of creation: 1943-1947, 1951-1988

Physical description: 42 cm of textual records

Biographical sketch: Susanna (Oesch Oesch) Kipfer was born near Zurich, Ontario. Also known as Susan, he was the second of nine children born to John and Anna (Theiler) Oesch. Susan married Aaron Eli Oesch (1897-1932), farmer, in 1921. She had three children.

Sometime after Aaron's death, her occupation was listed as seamstress. In 1944, she was living at the home of her parents. In 1947, she married Ezra Kipfer, labourer, and moved to Hensall, Ont. Ezra was a widower with three children. He died in 1970. Susan lived her final years at the Blue Water Rest Home in Zurich. Her funeral took place at the Zurich Mennonite Church.

Custodial history: The diaries, some correspondence, and published materials were donated to the Mennonite Archives of Ontario by her son, Earl Oesch, in or after the year 2000.

Scope and content: The fonds consists primarily of diaries documenting weather, visits, work, family activities, births, deaths and marriages in her community from the years 1943-1947 and 1951-1988. Correspondence and published materials that accompanied the diaries are also included.

Notes: Additional information in this description was obtained from:

1. Jacob and Maria (Lichti) Kuepfer Family History and Genealogy / by Mrs. Menno W. Kuepfer and Lorraine Roth, Kitchener, Ont.: August 1976.
2. John and Barbara (Schultz) Oesch Family History and Genealogy / by Lorraine Roth, Kitchener, Ont.: 1964.
3. Oesch-Kipfer, Susanna / in Gospel Herald Obituaries - April 1991.

Archival description created by Laureen Harder-Gissing

File list:

Series 1: Diaries

1943-1947
1951-1955
1952
1956
1957-61
1962-1965
1966-70
1971-75
1976-1980
1981
1982
1983
1984-85
1985-87
1988

Series 2: Correspondence

1. County Home Clinton to Mrs. Susan Oesch, [19--]
2. Lorraine Roth to Earl and Doreen Oesch, 2000

Series 3: Tracts

1. How is Your I.Q.? / American Tract Society
2. Who Made All This? / Herald Press Tracts
3. Where are the Dead? / Christian Pocket Books, 1963