The child of immigrant parents, Wilhelmina Christina Schoppenhorst was born 10 Apr 1846 at Hopewell, Warren County, MO. Her parents, William and Maria (Peterjohann) Schoppenhorst were born in Ladbergen, Westphalia, Germany. Miss Schoppenhorst married Heinrich Wilhelm Hünefeld, Warren County, 11 Mar 1864. Before settling around Big Spring, the couple lived in Higginsville, Lafayette, County, MO, where their oldest daughter, Elisabetha Maria Christina Huenefeld, born 1865, died 28 Sep 1869. This daughter was supposedly the first burial in Salem UCC Cemetery, Higginsville. This cemetery was in a field to the side of the Huenefeld home and farm. The Huenefeld family also experienced the heartbreaking loss of two other daughters who were buried at Hopewell, Methodist Cemetery, Warren County, MO: Lydia Juliana Huenefeld, born 1878, died 22 Oct 1881; and Alvina Emilie Cecelia Huenefeld, born 1882, died 04 Mar 1883.

Pictures of Mrs. Huenefeld and her husband, circa 1900, are to right.
---------------

OBITUARY (October 1927)

Mrs. Minnie Huenefeld

Wilhelmina Christina Schoppenhorst was born April 10, 1846. She was married to Wm. H. Huenefeld, March 11th, 1864, who in their youth grew up together in Warren county, near Hopewell, No., and in 1887 they moved to this county near Big Spring, Mo., where they worked and toiled together on a farm. In 1907 her companion was taken by the Death Angel at the age of 69 years. But she kept on battling along life's journey in Faith until her Lord and Master also called her to a higher plane where she has no more sorrow and no more pain.

She was the mother of twelve children, six sons and six daughters; three daughters died in infancy and one son preceded her in death seven years ago. The eight children to mourn her death are as follows: Mrs. E. M. Lichte, Abe, Montana.; Mrs. Wm Lichte, Bland, Mo.; B.W. Huenefeld, Odessa, Mo.; P, J. Huenefeld, Bogard, Mo.; G.M. Huenefeld, New Florence, Mo.; L.A. Huenefeld, St. Louis, Mo.; W. F. Huenefeld, McKittrick, Mo.; Mrs. F.E. Hart, Jonesburg, Mo.

On account of failing health she became unable to live alone, so the past six years she spent with her youngest daughter, Mrs. F. E. Hart, who also lived in the Big Spring neighborhood until about eight months ago moved to Jonesburg., Mo., taking her mother with her and caring for her in her age as she was past eighty-one years. But Grandma Huenfeld soon made friends anywhere she went and on the Sabbath Day we always found her at church if possible to go. She was ever faithful to her Lord ... . After a short service at the home her remains were taken to the M.E. Church of Big Spring of which she was a member, Rev. Ratje and Rev. Champ Ellis conducting the services. From there her body was taken to the Evangelical Cemetery [St. James Cemetery, Big Spring] where she was laid to rest beside her companion and son.

Well may her children cherish her memory as a precious legacy and we fain would say a word for comfort to the stricken ones; we can but let our tears flow in sympathy with theirs and point them to the promise, "At eventide it shall be light."

(Source unknown; copy is courtesy of Hazel Gerloff, Huenefeld descendant.)
--------

funeral text:
2 Timothy 4:7-8
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
--------

Marcella (Huenefeld) Whittingon wrote, 22 January 1976, "in a lighter vein" sharing Grandma Huenefeld's old recipe for homemade wine. To Huenefeld descendants may this bring smiles to faces and tugs at heartstrings:

9 lbs. grapes – washed and mashed
4-3/4 lbs. sugar
3 quarts water
Put in stone jar and cover.
Stir every other day for 6 weeks.
Strain.
Let stand 2 more weeks.
Bottle.