Klaassen, Bertha Wiebe (1906-2002)

Newton Kansan obituary: 2002 Dec 23 p. 2

Birth date: 1906 Dec 24

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2002 Dec 30 p. 8

text of obituary:

BERTHA KLAASSEN

Bertha (Wiebe) Klaassen, 95, died Dec. 16, 2002, at the Good Samaritan Village of Mountain Lake, Minn., after suffering a heart attack on Dec. 7. She was born Dec. 24, 1906, to Abram P. and Elizabeth (Loewen) Wiebe.

The family lived on a farm three miles northeast of Delft in Cottonwood County, Minn. She was the oldest of three children. Their mother died when she was 13 years old. They received a stepmother, Katherine Esau, some months later.

Her education included two years in Mountain Lake Bible School and correspondence high school with the American School of Chicago. She attended Mankato Teacher's College, majoring in elementary education to obtain a teaching certificate. She then taught school for two years.

She was baptized June 1, 1925, and received into membership at Bergfelder Mennonite Church, now Lakeview Gospel Church in Mountain Lake. There she taught Sunday school many of her adult years and took part in King's Co-Workers Mission Society, holding most of its offices.

On Sept. 6, 1932, she married Henry P. Klaassen. As he was a farmer, she enjoyed the farm very much with its animals, fruits, garden and flowers. Two children, Bernice Ann and Eldon Henry, were born to them.

They retired from farming in 1971, building a new home in Mountain Lake. On Nov. 1, 1996, she became one of the first residents of Parkwood Place.

She experienced much joy in travel, quilting, sewing for "Care and Share," making stuffed animals for sale, reading, and in her later years, sewing quilt tops.

Survivors include her children, Bernice Esau and her husband, John, of North Newton, Kan., and Eldon and his wife, Mary, of Wichita, Kan.; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Henry, on Dec. 9, 1983; a brother, Clarence Wiebe, on Jan. 23, 1965; and a sister, Katherine Nickel, on Jan. 15, 1985.

Services were held at Lakeview Gospel Church.