Naomi Koehn

Naomi Mazelin Koehn was born on September 3, 1956, to Frank & Helen Habegger Mazelin near Port Trevorton, Pennsylvania. She peacefully slipped away with her family by her side on June 4, 2025, at the age of 68.

Her early childhood was spent as a little Amish girl in Pennsylvania. These were happy carefree years. In her parents’ search for the truth and a church home, the family moved to Muddy Pond, Tennessee when she was 9 years old. Mom was a spunky girl who loved the outdoors and farm life. She was her dad’s right-hand helper and preferred farmwork to helping her mom in the house.

Mom was baptized into the Church of God in Christ Mennonite on May 7, 1972, by Min. Daniel Koehn about a year after her parents and older sister joined the Church. She remained faithful to these vows until the end.

She met our dad, Eric Koehn, and they were married soon after on Sep 8, 1974. They spent their early married years in Clarksdale, Mississippi where their first two children were born. In 1980, we moved to Brookston, Texas, where three more children were added to the family. In 1996, the family relocated to Grafton, North Dakota due to the medical needs of the children. She willingly sacrificed her love of the south for her family and learned to love North Dakota where she quickly made many close friends.

Our mother had a servant heart. In addition to lovingly caring for her family, she worked as a housekeeper, cooked at Nash school, and together with her daughters babysat many local children. She had a special talent for turning these work relationships into lifelong friendships and made a difference in the lives of many of the children that attended Nash school.

In the last 25 years she has faced seemingly unending medical challenges which she met with courage. Her exceptional will to live and a desire to be with her family helped her endure pain beyond what we can imagine. Her gift of connecting with people enabled her to witness her faith to many people she interacted with during countless medical appointments and hospital stays. The unique challenges she faced seemed to take her to places unfamiliar with our faith.

Naomi is survived by her husband, Eric; children: Cindy (Nathan) Mayeske, Grafton, ND; David (Heather) Koehn, Bridgewater, Maine, Melinda (Colin) Penner, Saltcoats, SK; Ronnie (Star) Koehn, Texhoma, OK; Emily (Errol) Penner, Hythe, AB; 17 grandchildren; siblings: Marie (Alton) Boehs, Jeromesville, OH; Danny (Julie) Mazelin, Cole Camp, MO; Virginia (Dave) Shetler, Kidron, OH; Esther (Sheldon) Koehn, Brookston, TX; Paul Mazelin, Cole Camp, MO; Beth Mazelin, Iroquois, SD; Peter (Abby) Mazelin, Clarksdale, MS; Mary (Brent) Schneider, Grifton, NC. She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant sister and granddaughter Trena.

Naomi’s family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Kristi Midgarden, the staff at Lutheran Sunset Home, and the many medical professionals that have cared for her over the years.

Funeral services will be Sunday, June 8, 2025 at 2:30 PM at the Church of God in Christ Mennonite, rural Grafton, ND. Visitation will be Saturday from 4:30-6:30 with a prayer service at 6:30 at the church. Interment will be in the church cemetery.