Classen, Margaret Rempel (1872-1956)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Mar 8 p. 8

Birth date: 1872 Dec 19

text of obituary:

MRS. JOHN M. CLASSEN

Our beloved mother, Mrs. John M. Classen (nee Margaret Rempel) was born Dec. 19, 1872, in South Russia, emigrated to America with her parents in 1874 and resided at Jansen, Neb. until 1908 when she moved to Meade, Kansas. She passed away to be with the Lord on Feb.3, 1956, at 11:30 A. M. in the home of her children, the Pete K. Isaacs, having attained the age of 83 years, one month and 14 days.

In 1891 she was baptized upon her faith in Jesus Christ as her personal Saviour from sin by Elder Abraham L. Friesen and accepted into the fellowship of the Mennonite Church at Jansen, Neb. On July 12 of the same year she was united in marriage to John M. Classen, with whom she shared joys and sorrows for 32 years. This union was blessed with 13 children. the Lord saw fit to take our father to himself on July 23, 1923.

On April 27, 1944, she joined the Emmanuel Mennonite church of Meade in which she remained a faithful member.

Our mother was not blessed with robust health, but she received strength from the Lord who is true to His promise to supply sufficient grace for every day and in the most trying circumstances. Due to ill health, she was not privileged to attend church services, which she so much desired to do, for the last five years, and was confined to her roo9m for about one year.

We as a family rejoice at having had a mother who was concerned about our spiritual welfare and prayed much for us and the Lord's work. A favorite verse of Scripture was 3 John 4, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." Although she often expressed a desire to go with Jesus, she took new courage at the thought of fulfilling a mission in intercessory prayers on behalf of the entire family and the church.

Her rather sudden death, after gradually failing health, was due to cerebral hemorrhage. She quietly breathed her last on Friday, Feb. 3, at 11:30 a. m.

Preceding her in death were her husband, John M. Classen; two sons, Jacob who died in infancy, and Abe, who passed away at the age of 53 on March 4, 1953; two sons-in-law, D. A. Reimer and Henry L. Isaac; one daughter-in-law, Mrs. P. L. Classen; 10 grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. C. J. Classen and Mrs. John Harms; and two brothers, George F. Rempel and Abram F. Rempel.

She is survived by 11 children, John of Hillsboro, Kan., Katherine (Mrs. J. A. Reimer), Peter, Elizabeth (Mrs. D. A. Reimer), Margaret (Mrs. Henry J. Isaac), and Agatha (Mrs. P. K. Isaac), all of Meade, Henry of DeRidder, La., Helen (Mrs. Henry L. Isaac) of Meade, Cornie of Meade, George of Yale, S. D.; one daughter-in-law, Mrs. A. L. Classen of Meade; 69 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Peter F. Rempel of Meade and henry F. Rempel of Jansen, Neb.; one sister, Agnes (Mrs. George J. Classen) of Meade, and a host of relatives and friends.

We will miss our mother and grandmother, but rejoice to know that she "overcame all by the blood of the Lam" and thus is where Jesus is, where there is no more pain and sorrow. — The Family.