Edna Florence Thimes (1914-1995). Missionary Nurse. Evangelist. Edna was born to Henry J. and Martha (Son) Thimes on September 26, 1914, fourth child of five, in a loving, but unchurched family. They lived on a farm near Emporia, Kansas. Henry and Martha taught the children high moral standards and a reverence for God. Edna was fourteen when she first attended a Church of God congregation and was saved within two months.
After graduating from high school, she attended Anderson College, Anderson, Indiana, graduating in 1940 with a Bachelor of Theology. She trained to be a registered home nurse at the St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing at Anderson and at the former Bethany Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas.
She served as a Sunday School teacher and Superintendent in her home church and spent her vacations as a resident nurse at the Anderson Church of God campmeeting.
Edna served in the mission field in Kenya, East Africa for 22 years at the Mwihila Hospital at Kisumu and in Kima. She once said that half the babies born in Kenya were named “Edna” in her honor. Her special interest were babies whose mothers had died in childbirth. She often kept them until they were two, sharing the love of Jesus with them and returning them to their fathers when they could eat regular table food.
When Edna retired from the mission field, she returned to her home in the United States, next moving for a time to California to live near a niece, and finally returning to Kansas City.
Edna’s big heart gave out on June 22, 1995. Her “heavenly graduation ceremony” was conducted at the former First Church of God and her body is buried in Emporia.
* Near the time of my birth, the ladies at church, including Edna, had a baby shower for my mother, presenting her with a hooded baby towel embroidered with their signatures. We considered her family, as she shared an Uncle William and Aunt Lillian with my mother's maternal Aunt Nadine. Furloughs from the mission field were five years apart and she stayed with us or my grandparents during her deputation visits to churches nearby. I corresponded with her during my teen years and once sent her $5.00 out of my allowance. She wrote a thank you note, stating she had purchased an apple as a treat in the local market. Apples didn’t grow in the climate there and she had been hankering for a taste of home. My mother played the organ for Edna’s funeral service. She’s rejoicing in heaven!
More to Read:
1. Anderson University Alumni, alumni@anderson.edu
2. Church of God Missions Magazines, various issues from 1961-1978.
3. US Federal Census
4. Ancestry.com
5. "Bethany Hospital." History of Wyandotte County, Kansas: and its people. Edited by Perl Wilbur Morgan, p. 413-415. Vol. 1
6. Edna's Embroidered Signature
7. Findagrave #116965706
5. "Bethany Hospital." History of Wyandotte County, Kansas: and its people. Edited by Perl Wilbur Morgan, p. 413-415. Vol. 1
6. Edna's Embroidered Signature
7. Findagrave #116965706
Places to visit in KS.
1. New Life Family (formerly First Church of God), 4835 Shawnee Drive, Kansas City, KS. 913-262-8048
2. Bethany Methodist Hospital (org. 1892) stood at the corner of 12th & Reynolds, Kansas City, KS until July 2001 when it closed. Stand at that corner and imagine all the babies born there!
3. Providence Hospital's Medical Museum in the Main Entrance Lobby. (Contains two cabinets of Bethany Hospital & Nursing School memorabilia.), 8929 Parallel, Kansas City, KS.
2. Bethany Methodist Hospital (org. 1892) stood at the corner of 12th & Reynolds, Kansas City, KS until July 2001 when it closed. Stand at that corner and imagine all the babies born there!
3. Providence Hospital's Medical Museum in the Main Entrance Lobby. (Contains two cabinets of Bethany Hospital & Nursing School memorabilia.), 8929 Parallel, Kansas City, KS.
4. Maple Woods Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Emporia, KS
Biography written by Dolores J. Rush, updated: 10/25/2019
Biography written by Dolores J. Rush, updated: 10/25/2019
Edna Thimes saved my life. In 1959, my father was the pastor of First Church of God in Kansas City, KS where Edna attended when she was in the US. I was born in January of that year and Edna happened to be working at Bethel Hospital in Kansas City when my mother went into labor. I was a large baby over 9 pounds - too large for my 5'2" mother and in those days they didn't do very many cesarean deliveries. As a result of the delivery my head was traumatized and I didn't breath. After working for a while the doctor gave up and told my mother that they had lost me. Mom says that Edna just wouldn't give up. She worked all night with some type of manual tilting machine to help me breathe on my own and finally I did.
ReplyDeleteTo my regret, it wasn't my privelege to know Edna very well as our paths didn't often cross. But I will always hold her memory dear and her touch upon my life so many years ago. -- Tim Harvey
My dad and , Jack and Lucille Harvey, were longtime friends of Edna Thimes and dad was her pastor at First Church of God before she left for the mission field. He died about a year after Edna but mom is 85 and still with us and was so thrilled when my brother sent your blog to her. She regrets that although they were friends for years, she has no picture of Edna. If you have pictures and would be willing to post them, she would really enjoy seeing them. Thanks for your blog - it brought back some great memories for our family.
ReplyDeleteI believe I have at least one photo of Edna that I will be happy to post for you. I've got to dig for it and scan, so check back in a few days for it! Thanks so much for commenting on my blog post! It's made my day! Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing Edna with us. What a blessing she was to so many!
ReplyDeleteMy mother used to enjoy telling a great story about Edna Thimes, but I don't think that Pop liked it quite as much. They were all students at Anderson College in 1943. The morning after I was born, Pop finished his shift at Eastside Dairy and rushed to St. John's Hospital to see Mom and their new child. Edna, who was working there as a nurse, met him in the maternity ward and ask if he would like to see his new baby. She then left, but soon returned from the nursery. In her arms was a coal-black infant. Mom used to laugh about Pop then coming into her hospital room wearing a strange, disoriented expression. Evidently, Edna had a wonderful sense of humor! I wish that I could have known her.u
ReplyDeleteFascinating! We can look into our own "6 degrees" to find a small separation between us and many saints - if we look! They can encourage us to be all we can be - use our talents for good, too! Thanks for this history from your circle of life that you share with us!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen, for visiting my blog today and taking the time to leave a comment. May God bless you with what you need today! :)
DeleteShe was a highly respected nurse at Mwihila. She was also my grandmother's friend; she was a constant visitor to my grandmother's home and church of God at Shikunga. She befriended my aunt (Elizabeth Khayiya) who died in birth in 1957. My cousin, Eddah is named after Edna but the name was misspelled. She is now a principal of High School in Kenya. She also birthed Edna and Esnah Ashibende (from Mwitseshe, 2 miles from Mwihila). I write to ask anyone who may have access to the many pictures she took while at Mwihila, to avail them to me so I could see/identify some of my relatives (dead or living) just so we can see what they looked like at that time. Sincerely, Dr. Andrew D. Musila.
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting on my blog today. I'm not sure I can fulfill your request. Edna had a nephew, but I've not heard of him for quite some time. You can try to contact the Church of God Archives to see if you can obtain all they have for Edna. And also go to the website-Find-a-grave. There are quite a few memorials there for Kenya. Perhaps a photo of the person will be included with the memorial. God bless.
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