Editing Block, John Henry (1899-1969)

''Mennonite Brethren Herald'' obituary: 1969 Sep 19 p. 26

Birth date: 1899 Aug 10

text of obituary:

<center><h3>JOHN HENRY BLOCK</h3></center>

John Block of Clearbrook, B.C. passed away on August 16 at his home  at  the 
age of 70. 

Born in  the  village of Gross-Gerhardstahl,  Ekaterinoslav,  Russia  on  August 
10, 1899, John Block was the sixth child 
of a family of 16. His parents were Henry 
Jacob and Katirina Block.  After  moving 
to  No.  3  Village, Arkadak in  1912. he 
finished his elementary school and started 
highschool.  He accepted  Christ as  his 
Savior at  17.  In  1917.  he  joined  the 
Mennonite Brethren Church through  baptism. 

At 20 the government drafted him along 
with others  and  he  served  the  armed 
forces  as  a  carpenter  for  three  years. 
Being a skilled tradesman. he was exempt 
from  carrying arms. 

His interest  in  mus,ic  led  him to  start 
a  youth  choir.  to  sing  in  the  church 
choir, as well as to act as assistant choir 
director. In  1922, he married Lena Sawatsky at Mariontov. Russia.  The marriage 
was blessed  wi,th  three  sons and  four 
daughters. 

In  1925  vhe  tami'ly  emigrated  to 
Canada.  settled on undeveloped farmland 
at MuHingar, Saskatchewan and spent 10 
years pioneering there.  During this  time 
he served the church as choir and music 
director. Many evenings were spent transcrihing the  old songs wri1tenin number 
music to notes.

Having sold everything, the family moved to  British  Columbia in  1937, buying  their first  house for  $75 and renting 
a lot at Yarrow.  His trade as a carpenter 
proved most useful and in  due time  he 
owned his own construction business from 
whi'ch  he  retired  in  1958. 
Funeral  servi'ces  were  held  in  the 
Clearbrook (B.C.)  Church on August 19, 
with Rev.  Herman Lenzmann and Rev. P. 
R.  Toews  officiating. 

Left to mourn his passing are his wife, 
Helena;  and his children, Jack and Lena 
Block,Henry and Katherine Block, Arthur 
and  Ri,ta  Block,  Alvin  and  Erna  Ens, 
Jacob  and  Helen  Nickel,  Peter  and 
Elvira  Wiebe,  and  Walter and  Ann 
Wi'llems;  22 grandchildren; four  brothers 
and one sister;  and many relatives  and 
friends. 

[[Category:Mennonite Brethren Herald obituaries]]