Klassen, John H. (1875-1956)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Sep 13 p. 6

Birth date: 1875 Oct 10

text of obituary:

. . .

— Relatives here received word from Dalmeny, Sask. of the death of Rev. John H. Klassen, who passed away Tuesday night after a long illness. Funeral services will be held in the E.M.B. church in Dalmeny Sunday afternoon. He is survived by his wife Anna and two daughters, Mrs. J. A. Dickman and Mrs. J. G. Peters and their families of Saskatoon, Sask., and four brothers, P. H. Klassen, F. H. Klassen, and A. H. Klassen, all of Newton, and J.H. Klassen of Elbing.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Nov 8 p. 10

text of obituary:

REV. JOHN H. KLASSEN

John H. Klassen, our beloved father, was born in the village of Prangenau in Russia Oct. 10, 1875, the son of John P. and Sara Heinrichs Klassen.

In 1876 the family came to America and settled in McPherson County, Kan. Here he grew to manhood and received his public school education. At the age of 17 he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. He was baptized the same year and received into the fellowship of the Springfield K. M. B. church.

In 1897 he with his parents moved to Rosenberg, Texas where he found a companion in Lizzie Peters. They were married Oct. 20, 1899. Our beloved mother passed away to be with the Lord Sept. 19, 1942. On Feb. 28, 1943, he was married to Mrs. Anna Peters, who passed away Jan. 14, 1947. He was married to Mrs. Anna Dick on May 25, 1947, who is left to mourn his departure.

In 1902 he moved to Dalmeny, Sask. where he engaged in farming until 1922 when he received a call to take charge of the Salem Orphanage in Flanagan, Ill. under the Defenseless Mennonite Conference. After several years of labor there, he accepted a call to supervise the Home for Aged at Hillsboro, Kans. under the K. M. B. conference.

In 1928, after mother's health failed and she could not do the work any longer, they came back to Dalmeny, Sask. After two years they moved to Fairholm, Sask., where he was ordained as minister of a newly organized congregation of the E. M. B. Conference. For 15 years he labored faithfully, sometimes under great difficulties. Souls were saved and the congregation grew in membership. In 1946 he retired in Dalmeny.

Father had a great zeal for mission work. The list of names of missionaries for whom he prayed every morning which we find in his prayer book, exceeds 40.

He suffered a stroke on Sept. 9, 1955. He was taken to the Waldheim hospital. After several months he was able to be up again and was taken to a rest home in Rosthern. On May 28, 1956, he fell and broke his hip. he was taken to City hospital in Saskatoon where an operation was performed on his hip. After five months of suffering his desire was fulfilled and he was called home to meet his Saviour face to face.

Besides his wife he leaves two daughters, Mrs. J. A. Dickman and Mrs. J. G. Peters, both of Saskatoon, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, and four step-children and their families.

He also leaves four brothers, Peter H., Frank H. and A. H., Newton, Kan., and Jacob H. of Elbing, Kan.

He has fought the good fight, he has finished the course, he has kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for him a crown of righteousness by the Lord Jesus Christ. — The Family.