Mary Elizabeth Kolb

1901 - 1971  (69 years)

• Name	Mary Elizabeth Kolb
  Born	11 Aug 1901	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Gender	Female
  Church Membership	First Mennonite Church, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Name	Mary Elizabeth Derstine
  Residence	1971	1102 Victoria St. N., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-21000
  Died	11 Mar 1971	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2, 3, 4]
  	Cause: heart attack
  Buried	First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2, 3]
  Person ID	I21000	Generations
  Last Modified	10 Jul 2025

  
  

  Father	Elias B. Kolb,   b. 3 Mar 1865, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 8 Jul 1948, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 83 years)
  Mother	Lucinda Betzner,   b. 5 Sep 1865, Doon (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 18 Sep 1937, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 72 years)
  Married	1 Oct 1891  [5]
  Family ID	F2673	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Bishop Clayton Freed Derstine,   b. 17 Aug 1891, Souderton, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, USA ,   d. 31 Aug 1967, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 76 years)
  Married	5 Jul 1927  [2]
  Children	1. John R. Derstine   2. Margaret Derstine   3. Clayton Kolb Derstine,   b. 1928,   d. 21 Mar 2008, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 80 years)
  Last Modified	10 Jul 2025
  Family ID	F7626	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		Mary Elizabeth Kolb from Memnonite Archives of Ontario
  		Mary Elizabeth Kolb from Mennonite Archives of Ontario

  
  

• Notes

  Derstine, Mary, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elias B. Kolb, was born at Kitchener, Ont.; died of a heart attack at the K-W Hospital, March 11, 1971; aged 69 years. On July 5, 1927, she was married to C. F. Derstine, who preceded her in death Aug. 31, 1967. Surviving are 2 sons (John R. and Clayton K.), 5 daughters (Grace - Mrs. Paul Brunner, Mrs. Eyvonne Harris, Esther - Mrs. Alfred Smith, Ruth - Mrs. George Hostetter, and Margaret - Mrs. Robert Becker), 9 grandchildren, and one great-grandson. She was a member of the First Mennonite Church, Kitchener, Ont., where funeral services were held Mar. 15, in charge of Jesse B. Martin and Robert N. Johnson; interment in First Mennonite Cemetery. Obituary - Gospel Herald, April 6, 1971 __________________________ Mary Elizabeth Kolb Derstine: teacher, pastor's wife; b. 11 August 1901 on her grandparents' farm near Breslau, Ontario, Canada to parents Elias Kolb (3 March 1865-8 July 1848) and Lucinda (Betzner) Kolb (5 September 1865-18 September 1937). Mary was an only child. On 5 July 1927 she married bishop and evangelist Clayton F. Derstine of Kitchener and became an instant mother to his three daughters. The couple had four children together. Mary died 11 March 1971 in Kitchener. Although born in Ontario, Mary grew up on the Saskatchewan prairie, where her parents went to homestead in 1904. There she learned to handle horses and guns. By the time that drought forced her family to return to Ontario, Mary was a schoolteacher in her early 20s-an attractive, lively young woman. This was a time of controversy at First Mennonite Church in Kitchener. The issue was whether to make it compulsory for women to wear the bonnet. Due to this controversy, a group of people left to form the Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church. In the midst of this turmoil, Mary made a commitment to Christ and chose to worship at First Mennonite Church, where a woman's commitment was defined by a strict dress code. She was baptized there in 1925 by her pastor, C. F. Derstine, whose wife died a few months later. C. F. and Mary were married in July 1927. A gracious and dignified pastor's wife, Mary allowed no gossip, either at home or at church. She was a role model to other women in her cheerful acceptance of plain clothing.... Regehr, Esther. "Derstine, Mary Elizabeth Kolb (1901-1971)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. April 2009. Web. 25 February 2011. https://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/derstine_mary_elizabeth_kolb_1901_1971. ______________________________________ Mrs. Clayton F. Derstine, widow of Bishop C.F. Derstine, of 1102 Victoria St. N. died at K-W Hospital Thursday following a heart attack. She was 69. Born in Kitchener, Mrs. Derstine was the former Mary Elizabeth Kolb, a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Elias B. Kolb. In her youth she lived in Western Canada and taught public school at Herbert, Sask. She married Bishop Derstine on July 5, 1927. She was a member of the First Mennonite Church and formerly a member of the church council and the Sunday school staff. She organized and supervised the Secret Sister Society of the church. She was predeceased by her husband Aug. 31, 1967. Surviving are two sons, John R., Kitchener, and Clayton K., Toronto; five daughters, Mrs. Paul (Grace) Brunner, Hubbard, Ore,; Mrs. Eyvonne Harris, Preville, Que,; Mrs. Alfred (Esther) Smith, Kitchener; Mrs. George (Ruth) Hostetter, St. Catherines, and Mrs. Robert (Margaret) Becker, Waterloo; nine grandchildren and one great-grandson. The body will be at the Ratz-Brchtel Funeral Home after 2 p.m. Saturday until noon Monday when removal will be made to the First Mennonite Church for a service at 3 p.m. conducted by Bishop Jesse B. Martin and Rev. Robert N. Johnson, Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery. Donations to the Ontario Mennonite Mission Board may be made as expression of sympathy. The Kitchener-Waterloo Record 12 Mar 1971

  
  

• Sources

  [S57] Vit - ON - Birth Registration. [S8] News - Gospel Herald, April 6, 1971 - Obituary of Mary Elizabeth Kolb. [S47] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - First Mennonite CC#4507 Internet link First Mennonite Cemetery online. Derstine / Bishop Clayton F. Derstine / 1891-1967 / Minister & Evangelist for 53 years / beloved Paster / First Mennonite Church 1924 to 1967 / his beloved wife / Mary Elizabeth Kolb / 1902-1971 / alive in His presence [S74] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Kitchener-Waterloo Record (1948-1994), Obituary of Mrs. Clayton F. Derstine - 12 Mar 1971. [S8] News - Gospel Herald, October 7, 1937. Obituary of Lucinda Betzner

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 11 Aug 1901 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Church Membership - - First Mennonite Church, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1971 - 1102 Victoria St. N., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: heart attack - 11 Mar 1971 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth