Mazel Eugene Salsbury

Mazel Eugene Salsbury was born on October 1, 1928, to John and Mary (Blymer) Salsbury near St. Louis, Michigan. He quietly slipped away in the evening hours of December 23, 2019, at the Bethel Home in Montezuma, Kansas, reaching the age of ninety-one. He had four sisters and two brothers. He attended elementary school at Shepherd, Michigan, and graduated on May 26, 1944. His father died when he was in his early teens. He then quit school and went to work to help support his mother and family. Dad married Vera Fricke on April 5, 1952. To this union were born two sons and one daughter. When the children came, he talked about attending a church in Alma where they lived. Mom was not willing because she knew where her spiritual roots were. In the fall of 1957, they attended revivals at the Newark congregation, and they both made their decision to serve the Lord. Dads decision to live for Christ started while he served in heavy conflict during the Korean War. He was baptized into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, on May 11, 1958, by Min. Newell Litwiller, remaining faithful to his vows the rest of his life. The song that Dad loved best was "When I See the Blood." This song became a testimony to him of the saving faith of the blood of Jesus Christ. His quiet, enduring faith enabled him to slip away securely in the arms of Jesus. He was a faithful church attender and preferred to arrive at church and everywhere else early. He said, "If you were five minutes late, you may as well stay home," and "I would rather be thirty minutes early than three minutes late." When church was over, he was ready to go home. No need to fellowship afterwards; he had already done that before with the others who had arrived early. All his life he worked hard. For many years he worked swing shift at the Total Refinery in Alma. When Dad got off work from the refinery, his day was not finished, and he did not come home to take it easy. Instead he had his relaxing moments driving tractor and tending his cattle on the farm that he thoroughly enjoyed. Michigan, with her nature and great outdoors, was intensely loved by Dad. As age made regular life more difficult to manage, Dad and Mom moved to Montezuma, Kansas, in the fall of 2014, soon establishing residency at Bethel Home. There he received loving and compassionate care. Kansas was different from Michigan, and he never lost his love for his home state. Those left to cherish loving memories are his wife, Vera, of Montezuma, Kansas; his children, Douglas and wife Janet of Goshen, Indiana; Peggie Simler of Hartwell, Georgia; and Kalvin and wife Donna of Montezuma, Kansas; ten grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; one sister Macy and husband Harry Leonard of St. Louis, Michigan; and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, a step-father, three sisters, two brothers, a son-in-law, and one grandson. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, December 31, 2019, at 10:30 A.M. at the Newark Mennonite Church, 3446 S. Alger Rd., Ithaca, MI 48847. The family will receive friends on Monday from 2 P.M. - 4 P.M. and 6 P.M. - 8 P.M. at the church. Interment will take place at Hayes Road Cemetery. Those desiring, may make contributions in Mazel's honor to Christian Service International or Bethel Home Montezuma, KS.