Editing Doerksen, Gerhard Heinrich (1891-1978)

''Mennonite Brethren Herald'' obituary:  1978 July 7 p. 30

Birth date: 1891 Aug 02

text of obituary:

<center><h3>GERHARD HEINRICH DOERKSEN</h3></center>

Gerhard Heinrich Doerksen was born to
Heinrich Gerhard and Katharina (nee Kroe
ker) Doerksen on August 2, 1891 , at Neu
Halbstadt, Sagradowka, south Russia . He
graduated from junior high school (Zentral
schule) in Ohrloff, Sagradowka. Called up for
military service in 1915, he served in the
forestry service until 1917. He married
Elisabeth A. Peters in 1916. Mr. Doerksen
received J esus as his personal Saviour, was
baptized and received into membership a
the Alliance church in Ohrloff, Sagradowka
in 1920.
The Doerksens emigrated to Canada in
1926, living first in Borden, Sask., and
moving to Yarrow, B.C., two years later.
They moved once more to Abbotsford, B.C.,
in 1934, joining the South Abbotsford Men·
nonite Brethren Church. When the church
divided to create another fellowship in 1935,
the Doerksens joined the new North Abbots·
ford Church, serving the congregation in
many ways.
Fourteen children were born to the couple,
but three died in infancy . Their marriage
lasted 57 years before his wife passed away
in 1973. He married Martha Kurth in 1974.
Failing health resulted in an operation in
1976, from which he recovered. He became ill
again last April and was called home to be
with the Lord on June 8.
He leaves to mourn his wife, Martha
Doerksen; five sons: Henry and Anna, Abe
and Mary, George and Katherine, Peter and
Vera and Jake and Elsie, all of B .C.; four
daughters: Gertha (Mrs. Albert) Moore,
Viola (Mrs. Issac) Penner, Evelyn (Mrs .
Ron) Eerdman and Nancy (Mrs. Cam) Nairn;
one daughter-in-law, (Mrs .) Susie Doerksen;
32 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren;
one sister, (Mrs.) Elisabeth Janzen of Yarrow,
B.C., and a host of relatives and friends.

[[Category:Mennonite Brethren obituaries]]