Doerksen, Margaret Kliewer Froese Reimer Janzen (1860-1943)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1944 Jan 13 p. 3

Birth date: 1860 Aug 12

text of obituary:

MRS. MARGARET DOERKSEN

______

Margaret Kliewer Doerksen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kliewer, was born in Mariewohl, Russia, August 12, 1860. At the age of twelve she came to America with her parents. The family home was established near Inman, Kansas. While living at Inman, she was baptized upon confession of faith in her Lord and master, and was taken into the membership of the Hoffnungsau church near Inman.

On June 7, 1879, she was united in marriage with Cornelius Froese. Five children, Marie, Cornelius, Henry, Margaret and Elisabeth were born to this union. Marie and Margaret preceded their mother in death. Father Froese was taken from the family by his untimely death only ten years after their marriage. On March 15, 1891, she was united in marriage to Martin P. Reimer, to which union were born four sons, Peter, Jacob, John and Bernhard. In 1898 the family moved from Kansas to Medford, Oklahoma.

Father Reimer passed away April 28, 1923. Following this bereavement she was married, on September 16, 1923, to Heinrich Janzen, with whom she lived until death took him from her side on June 8, 1929. The closing years of her life were spent with Jacob Doerksen to whom she was married November 28, 1932. He preceded her in death, having passed to his reward February 18, 1943.

Mother Doerksen had been in ill health since June, 1938, at which time she suffered severe injuries from a fall. Her strength began to fail so rapidly that it was thought best of remove her to the home of her son, John Reimer, where she spent the remaining four months of her life. For the last month of her illness she was confined to her bed. She passed on to her reward on the afternoon of December 8, at 4:00 o’clock, having attained the age of 83 years, 3 months and 26 days. Until her passing, she was sustained by an implicit faith in her Maker, who had been her Companion and Friend through all the joys and sorrows of this life.

She leaves to mourn her departure one brother, George Kliewer of Sultana, California; one sister, Mrs. Marie Siebert of Reedley, California; six children, Henry Froese, Mrs. George Gaede, and John Reimer, all of Shafter, California; Cornelius Froese, Peter and Jacob Reimer, all of Medford, Oklahoma; thirty-four grandchildren and twenty-seven great grandchildren, as well as a host of friends and acquaintances.

Funeral services for Mother Doerksen were conducted at the First Mennonite Church of Shafter, California. Burial was at the family home at Medford, Oklahoma.