Editing Derksen, Henry (1906-1991)

''Mennonite Brethren Herald'' obituary: 1991 Dec 20 p. 24

Birth date: 1906 Apr 15

text of obituary:

<center><h3>HENRY DERKSEN</h3></center>

Henry Derksen of Clearbrook, B.C. passed
away Sept. 27. He was born Apr. 15, 1906 on
the Babenko estate, Bachmut, Russia. They
moved to Minosinsk, Jenisej, Siberia, then to
Rosowka in 1913. At 12, he herded sheep on
the steppes. In winter they lived in huts in
the Altaj Mountains near Mongolia. In 1924
they moved to Davlekanovo, where he loaded
food onto trains. He learned to r ead and
write in night school. At 21 he was baptized
and joined the Mennonite Church. In 1929
his parents immigrated to Germany, then
Paraguay. He moved to Ignatievo, where he
married Kaethe Kehler in 1930. He was imprisoned in Schitomir 1937-39. In World War
II he was drafted and sent to Kiev. He was
captured by the Germans and sent to Germany, where he worked in the forests. His
wife and daughter Lina were sent to an unknown area. In 1948 he immigrated to Canada. In 1950 he moved to Arnold, B.C., where
he married Margaret Dyck, a widow with 4-
children. They bought a small dairy farm on
Sumas Prairie and he found work. Daughter
Lina regained contact through his parents in
Paraguay, and later visited twice. In 1965
they moved to Clearbrook, where they attended Clearbrook MB Church. He retired in
1969 but continued to make toys and do carpentry jobs. Predceased by his first wife
Kaethe and three children, he is mourned by
his wife Margaret; children Peter, Jacob,
Ernest, and Lydia; 10 grandchildren and 5
great-grandchildren; and daughter Lina
Tkatschenko and her 3 children. The funeral
was Oct. 2 in Clearbrook MB Church, with
Jacob Pauls ministering.

[[Category:Mennonite Brethren Herald obituaries]]