Petkau, Peter David (1884-1969)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1970 Feb 20 p. 26

Birth date: 1884 Jan 28

text of obituary:

PETER DAVID PETKAU

One of a family of eight children, Peter Petkau was born on January 28, 1884 in the village of Alexandrodar, in the Kuban region of southern Russia. Though a sickly child the Lord preserved his life and even in his childhood he displayed a desire to know more about Jesus Christ and to serve him. His parents moved to Orenburg while he was still a youth and there at the age of 15 he was converted through the ministry of Jakob Martens, a teacher in a school for waifs in Dowlekanowo Ufa, and missionary Jakob Rempel. Soon thereafter he was baptized upon the confession of his faith by Jakob Heide and accepted into the Mennonite Brethren Church.

As a member of the church he joined actively in its work, doing a thorough work in the Sunday school and serving as church secretary for many years. During the First World War he performed alternative service as a clerk in a Moscow Hospital.

In 1906 the Lord led him to Liese Abrams with whom he was joined in marriage. They were blessed with seven children, three sons and four daughters, and materially they prospered. However, in 1924 his wife suddenly became sick and died. The loss of their mother was a difficult trial for the family.

However, he found a second wife and mother for the large family in Maria Block whom he married in 1924. It was a difficult decision for her but she found the joy to say yes.

Along with many others the family was forced in 1926 to leave their former home in Russia for a new home in Canada. After some years in Saskatchewan, they moved in 1937 to Ontario where they had lived since.

Mr. Petkau became deeply involved in the work of the local church and the conference in Ontario. For many years he served on the board of Eden Christian College (then High School) and of the Bible school. The concerns of the church's youth lay close to his heart. In the congregation, first at Virgil and later in St. Catharines, he also gave freely of his time, especially in the Sunday school work. As a teacher, he continued serving until his 84th birthday. Since his health remained good, he served as well as his strength permitted until the last.

After 45 years of marriage, the Lord took his servant home quite suddenly on December 2 after an illness of less than a day. In all of his life it was all the time he had spent in a hospital as a patient. The Lord had blessed the second marriage with four additional children, three sons and one daughter. The blessings of the Lord had been many.

Mourning the death of their father and husband, is his wife Maria, six sons and four daughters, 60 grandchildren and 53 great grandchildren.

The funeral was observed from the Scott St. Mennonite Brethren Church, St. Catharine's, with all the children present, on December 5. Henry P. Penner, Abram Block and G.H. Epp ministered at the funeral and graveside services.