Durksen, Martin Peter (1905-1978)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1979 Jan 19 p. 29

Birth date: 1905 Oct 29

text of obituary:

MARTIN PETER DURKSEN

Martin Peter Durksen of St. Catharines, Ont. passed away suddenly on December 28. He was born to Peter and Anna (nee Reimer) Durksen October 29, 1905 near Orenburg, Russia. He received salvation and was baptized into membership of the Savorovka Mennonite Brethren Church in 1924. In the same year his mother died, and the rest of the family came to Canada. After attending Coaldale Bible School and farming for several years, he married Justina Peters on October 21, 1933. The couple farmed at Frontier and Foam Lake, Sask. until 1948 when they moved to Beamsville, Ont. They farmed there until 1965, attending the Vineland Mennonite Brethren Church. Martin was active in sharing his faith and in church work, including teaching Sunday school and serving as a deacon for many years. He also served on the boards of Eden Christian College, the Ontario MB Bible School and the Bethesda Home. In June 1978 he and his wife moved to the Tabor Manor Apartments in St. Catharines and joined the fellowship of the Grantham Mennonite Brethren Church.

He will be greatly missed by his wife Justina; his children and their spouses: Katie and Ed Koop, Orillia, Ont., Anne and Henry Friesen, Steinbach, Man., Peter and Erna, Erin, Ont., Helen and Carl Dalimer, Cambridge, Ont., Hilda and Walter Friesen, Abbotsford , B.C., Marian and Erwin Wiens, Waterloo, Ont., Corny and Sheila, St. Ann's, Ont., Frank and Carolyn, Elk Grove, Calif., and Henry and Beverley, St. Catharines; 25 grandchildren, two brothers, two sisters and many other relatives and friends. The funeral was held in the Grantham Church on December 30, with pastor Aaron E . Schmidt officiating.