It is with sorrow and gratitude that we mark the passing of Fred E. Langenegger of Newton, KS — sorrow at the loss, gratitude for the life.
These pages are a small offering toward a much larger life.
The hands that raised children leave fingerprints on the future.
Fred Edward Langenegger Jr. was born on March 6, 1940 to Fred Edward Langenegger Sr. and Evelyn Ruth (Rutschman). He passed away at the age of 86 on the 5th of May, 2026. He attended Elbing Grade School and Berean Academy, graduating in 1958. He married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Ella Wiebe, on April 9, 1960, and theirs was the first wedding in the newly built sanctuary of Newton Bible Church. They lived for several years in the Whitewater/Elbing area before moving to the farm where Fred had grown up on NW Meadowlark Road. Ruth died in 2019 and Fred moved to Schowalter Villa in 2022.Fred was the fourth of five children: David, Orrine (Renie), Evelyn Jean, Fred, and Liz.Fred grew up farming, starting on the tractor in the fields at the age of 5, though his mother stayed in the field with him at that age. He claimed to be the “teacher’s pet” at Elbing grade school and told us how the teacher, Mrs. Dyck, had him ferry the car back and forth from her house to school, as she and her husband shared one car. He was doing this by the age of 7 or 8, and loved it, but, probably as a consequence, stated that he didn’t learn a lot in grade school.Fred and Ruth were seniors at Berean when Ruth, knowing he had not yet placed his faith in Jesus Christ, started a prayer meeting among friends for his salvation. Fred soon came to a personal faith in Jesus and his faith and walk with God were always very important in his life. Fred and Ruth went on to teach children’s Sunday School for many years at Swiss Church in Whitewater, KS. They later attended Grace Community Church and taught children’s Sunday School there as well. They loved helping with Grace Church’s annual Judgement House, where they talked to people afterwards who had questions about their faith. Fred also served for many years on both the board of elders at Swiss Church and on the board at Berean Academy.Fred and Ruth loved their family and are survived by Debbie (Stephen) Cowles of NW England and Steve of Newton. Fred has six grandchildren: Kristy Cowles (Chris) Willis of Wichita, Jonathan (Jessica) Cowles of Colorado Springs, Joshua (Sarah) Cowles of NW Uganda, and Shae Langenegger, Brecyn Langenegger, and Makaylah Langenegger, all of Wichita. Fred also has three great grandchildren: Julia Willis, Melody Cowles, and Lydia Willis. He is also survived by his sisters Orrine (Renie) and Liz.Fred was preceded in death by his parents, two of his older siblings, David and Evelyn Jean, his wife, Ruth, and their infant son, Jonathan, who died at four days of age.The celebration of life service will be held at Grace Community Church in Newton Kansas at 10:00 on Tuesday, the 12th of May, followed by lunch, and then the graveside service at Whitewater Community Church’s (Swiss Church) cemetery on Butler Road at about 2 pm.In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been set up for Berean Academy of Elbing, Kansas.
