Wiebe, G. C. (1874-1950)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1950 Oct 26 p. 6

Birth date: 1874 Nov 19

text of obituary:

G. C. WIEBE

G. C. Wiebe, son of Gerhard Wiebe Sr., was born Nov. 19, 1874, near Samara, Russia.

After attending the village school his parents sent him to the Molotschna, South Russia, for higher education. His mother, nee Margareta Claassen, died in 1890 while he was away in school.

In 1893 to avoid his entering into military service, his father sent him to the United States. Upon arriving in Beatrice he entered Klein Mercantile Co. for business training and also attended night school. He was kindly received in the home of the Cornelius Jansen and J. G. Wiebe families, until his father with the rest of the family emigrated in 1894. A year later the Gerhard Wiebe and Sons dry goods store was established. Later he established the G. C. Wiebe clothing store. For some years of late he had held the position as bookkeeper at the Lang grocery.

He was baptized in the Mennonite faith in Russia. Upon his arrival in Beatrice he became a member of the Beatrice Mennonite church. He was married to Kathryn Jansen in 1901, daughter of the late Peter Jansen. The Lord blessed their marriage of 49 years with three sons and two daughters; one son and one daughter preceded him in death.

On Sept. 20 he suddenly became very ill and was taken to the Mennonite Deaconess hospital where he was operated upon the following day, but strength failed to bring about recovery. He was a patient sufferer and ready to answer the call of his Lord on Oct. 2, 1950.

He leaves to mourn his death his sorrowing wife Kathryn; two sons, Peter J. of Denver and Karl G. of Beatrice; one daughter, Mrs. Earl Johnson, Mountain Home, Ark.; five grandchildren; one brother, William of Bluffton, Ohio and four sisters, Sister Magdalene in Home for the Aged, Newton, Kans., Agatha, Mrs. Herman Penner, Lincoln, Nebr., Elizabeth, Mrs. Henry Boehr, Beatrice, and Justina, Mrs. P. Dan Schultz, Wichita Kans., and many more relative and friends.