Eitzen, D. C. (1892-1967)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1967 Feb 16 p. 8

Birth date: 1892 Dec 13

text of obituary:

D. C. EITZEN

D. C. Eitzen was born on Dec. 13, 1892, on the home farm five miles southeast of Hillsboro, Kan. to Abraham A. and Anna Classen Eitzen. At the age of 15, upon confession of his faith in Jesus Christ, he was baptized on May 12, 1907, by Rev. J. K. Hiebert and joined the Ebenfield [sic Ebenfeld] Mennonite Brethren Church, remaining a faithful and devoted member to the end.

He attended the Gnadenau Grade School, Tabor Academy and graduated from the Tabor College Normal Training Course in 1914. In the four years following, he taught at Cresswell School and in the Gnadenau School, which at that time included the first two years of high school. He also taught for one week in Buhler, Kan. and then was called to take his Army physical examination. However, his interest in education remained and he served on the local Williams School Board until the school was closed.

On June 20, 1918, D. C. Eitzen and Grace Crist were united in marriage at Glasgow, Mont. They made their home on a farm ten miles southeast of Hillsboro until moving to Hillsboro in the fall of 1963. Five children were born to this union: Clifford, Paul, May, Howard and Edith. Paul and Howard died in infancy and Clifford in a tractor accident in 19566, at the age of 36.

Father continued to keep up with current events and history, and he was an astute student of the Bible all his life. His strong convictions and sense of responsibility and integrity will long remain an inspiration to all who knew him. His concern for others manifested itself in the visitation of sick and shut-ins.

Father was a tireless worker in the church, serving as church treasurer, Sunday school superintendent, church historian, and Sunday school teacher, beginning when he was 18 years old and continuing until Dec. 11, 1966. He was secretary of the southern District Mennonite Brethren Conference. A highlight of his life was attendance at the Mennonite World Conference in Kitchener, Ont. in 1962.

In August 1963 he submitted to surgery, the first of a series of five operations. He finally succumbed to this malignancy on Jan 21, 1967, having reached the age of 74 years, one month and eight days.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Dr. Herbert. He is survived by his wife Grace; two daughters, Mary and husband Jona Baltzer, and children Carol and Douglas, and Edith and husband Reno Penner, all of Hillsboro; a daughter-in-law, Viola Eitzen, and children Clifford, David, Marjorie and Carolyn, Fresno, Calif.; and seven brothers, Dr. A. C. and John , Hillsboro, Sam, Longmont, Colo., Pete, Ponca City, Okla., Ezra and Dan, Albuquerque, N. M., and Dr. Oliver, Bay Village, Ohio. — The Family.