Editing Epp, Peter Herman (1904-1976)

''Mennonite Brethren Herald'' obituary: 1976 Oct 15 p. 29

Birth date: 1904 Mar 26

text of obituary:

<center><h3>PETER HERMAN EPP</h3></center>

The son of Herman and Katherine Epp,
Peter Herman Epp was born March 26, 1904
in Dawlekanowo, Russia. He moved to
Canada in 1924 and found employment on a
farm in Saskatchewan. He attended Bible
school in Winkler, Man., from 1926 to 1930,
where he met Mary Liesch. They were
married on October 4, 1935 and settled on a
farm near Marquette. They were blessed
with two sons and one daughter.
In 1941 the family moved to Greendale:
B.C ., where Mr. Epp served as a deacon.
After moving to Vancouver in 1957, the
family attended first the Fraserview Mennonite Brethren Church and later the Killarney
Park Church. He worked at the Marpole
Infirmary and then at the City Central
Mission until his retirement.
While jogging on August 17, he collapsed
and died on the way to the hospital. At a
funeral August 20 in the Killarney Park
Church, where he had been serving as
custodian, many tributes were expressed for
Mr. Epp's ministry to all he met.
He leaves to mourn his wife Mary ; his son
Peter and wife Diana; son Eric and wife
June; one daughter, Esther (Mrs. Leonard)
Doerksen); seven grandchildren; one sister,
Susie, in Russia; many relatives, friends, and
brothers and sisters in Christ.

A MAN WHO ENRICHED OTHERS
" I have said for years that Killarney Park
Mennonite Brethren Church is rich. And I'm
not referring to material assets and possessions. But if you have within your membership men of the spiritual calibre and capabilities of Peter Epp then God has richly
blessed you and you are especially favoured
of him."
This was part of the tribute paid our
brother Epp at his funeral August 20, by
. Rev. Doug Harris of a nearby Vancouver
Baptist church.
That Friday afternoon the Killarney Park
sanctuary was filled to capacity with many
pastors, Bible school teachers, friends, relatives and church members, all of whom had
at some time been befriended, ministered to
or encouraged in their ministry by Peter
Epp. And the verse of scripture which Rev.
Harris quoted expressed our feelings, perhaps of a tinge of ·· envy, because of the
reputation this saint had left on earth and
the reception he would get in heaven: "Let
me die the death of the righteous, and let my
last end be like his!" (Numbers 23 : lO)
Brother Epp was deeply involved in church
work and personal witness. He enjoyed going
to conferences, seminars and Campus Crusade Institutes, sharing freely what he had
learned. Many of us were encouraged by his
friendly greeting, warm handshake, a phone
call or letter when far away. He was never
without religious tracts and copies of the
"Four Spiritual Laws." Wherever he found
an open mind or needy heart-whether
walking through a park, jogging along the
street or at the Union Gospel Mission in
downtown Vancouver-he fed them spiritual
truths.
Retirement for him meant working fulltime for the Lord whom he loved dearly. At
every opportunity for public prayer he
thanked Jesus for the assurance of his
salvation and forgiveness of sin and made
intercession for all men. Rev. Harris said of
him, "He was a man who had a deeper love
for the souls of men than I think anyone else
I have ever met. And just give a hint of
some new opportunity for spiritual service
and Peter Epp was in the front line, in the
front row."
Harris and Epp were part of a small group
of men who met early each Wednesday
morning to pray for many things, especially
for the ministry of all evangelical churches in
the South Vancouver area which are involved
in a ministry known as "Operation Good
News."
Wally Gripp, pastor of Killarney Park and
Brian Friesen, youth pastor, also testified to
brother Epp's constant encouragement in
their ministry. They said he made friends
with young and old alike. He was especially
close to them during the last few months as
custodian of the church. Besides doing his
job well he would do little extras like placing
flowers on the desks of the secretary's and
the pastors' offices or leaving an appropriate
scripture verse with them.
Just as he nurtured his spiritual growth so
Mr. Epp, even at the age of 72 years, tried to
look after his physical health. He disciplined
himself to the end to keep fit by regularly
swimming, ice skating and jogging. In fact ,
it was while jogging Aug. 17, 1976 that he
collapsed and died on the way to the
hospital. Selma Hooge

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