Mendel, John S. (1901-1971)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1971 Sep 2 p. 7

Birth date: 1901 Mar 3

text of obituary:

Retired Minister Dies Unexpectedly on Weekend Trip

Reedley, Calif. — Rev. John S. Mendel, 70, retired Mennonite Brethren minister of Dinuba, died unexpectedly of a heart attack while on a weekend trip to the San Diego area with his son, Johnnie Mendel Jr. and family. He was stricken on a bus as it left the border at Tijuana.

A native of the Freeman, S. D. community, Rev. Mendel had been in the ministry for over 37 years. He was pastor of a mission church in Chicago for more than 20 years. Recently he had been interim pastor of the Dinuba M. B. Church, and was serving as chaplain of the Pleasant View Manor and Palm Haven rest homes in Reedley.

Rev. Mendel had resided in Dinuba for the past six years. His wife, Susie, died on July 3 of this year. Surviving in addition to the son here are three brothers and three sisters, all living n South Dakota, and two grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Aug. 24 at the Zion M. B. Church.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1971 Oct 21 p. 11

REV. J. S. MENDEL

John S. Mendel was born March 3, 1901, to David J. and Susie (Hofer) Mendel. I accepted the Lord as my personal Savior in the summer of 1918. I was baptized by Rev. Jacob J. Hofer in August 1918, and was received into the Salem K.M.B. Church, Bridgewater, S.D. I attended elementary school in South Dakota and graduated from Freeman Junior College in 1922.

On Sept. 27, 1922, I married Susie L. Hofer at the Salem K.M.B. Church by Rev. David W. Tschetter. Two children were born to this union: Esther, born Nov. 14, 1924, died March 6, 1944; John Jr., born Dec. 25, 1927.

I farmed 13 years near Freeman. For 10 years, along with farming I taught in the elementary school. While on the farm and teaching school, I saw the need of Christian service. After much prayer, I answered the call of the Master and moved to St. Paul, Minn. to continue my studies n the St. Paul Bible Institute. After graduation I moved to Menno, S. D. and did rural work for two years. On March 21, 1940, I was ordained at the Salem K.M.B. Church at Bridgewater. Rev. David W. Tschetter, pastor, and Rev. D. C. Pauls of Inman, Kan., representing the Home Mission Board, were the ministers.

In the fall of 1941 I accepted a call as superintendent and pastor of the Lincoln Avenue Gospel Mission in Chicago, Ill. where I served for 22 years. During those years it was my privilege to be active in conference work, serving the City Mission, Home Mission, and Foreign Mission Committees of the K.M.B. Conference. I also conducted evangelistic meetings in all the K.M.B. churches in the United States and Canada., also in the churches of the mission field in North Carolina.

In 1959 it was my privilege to make a trip to Africa and visit the mission fields in Nigeria, the Congo, Kenya, and Ethiopia. I also visited the Holy Lands and some of the M.B. churches in Europe.

In 1963, because of my health, I resigned from the pastorate in Chicago. The next two years I was affiliated with Scripture Press. On Jan.1, 1965, I accepted the call as pastor to the City Terrace M.B. Church in Los Angeles, Calif.

Because of cataracts on my eyes, I again was forced to resign as pastor. I moved to dinuba, Calif. where I retired. The cataract operations were successful, but on March 7, 1968, I had a heart attack. the Lord heard our prayers and touched my body and raised me up that I could again live a normal life. I worshipped at the Zion M. B. Church, where I taught Sunday school and did visitation, mostly among the sick and aged.

(The remainder was written by his pastor, Rev. Leo S. Wiens.)

For the past year he served as chaplain for the Mennonite Brethren Homes, Inc., Reedley, the Pleasant View manor, and Palm Haven. His ministry there was much appreciated and also very fruitful.

In the Zion Church, he served as chairman of the Pulpit Committee and was especially helpful during the recent time that the church was without a pastor in arranging for the pulpit ministry. He took a personal joy in seeing the Lord call to the pastorate. His servant and has been a real blessing and help in making this adjustment of ministry these past few months. He was also a much appreciated teacher of the mid-age couples Sunday school class.

His life was saddened, by the unexpected illness of his wife, Susie, which resulted in her passing on July 3, 1971. He missed her close companionship in the home and in the Lord’s service, but took new courage and actively pursued his ministries.

His death came unexpectedly of a heart attack while on a brief vacation outing with his son and family to the San Diego area. Though we are so shocked at the suddenness of his going, this was his oft-expressed desire, to be able to go suddenly and peacefully to meet his Savior face to face.

Left to mourn his departure are: one son, John Mendel, Jr. of Dinuba, daughter-in-law, Florine, and grandchildren, Jay and Rene; three brothers, Jake H., Dave J., and Mike F. Mendel, all of Freeman, S. D.; three sisters, Elizabeth, Mrs. Andrew Walter of Freeman, Emma, Mrs. Joe G. Hofer, of Menno, and Susie, Mrs. Jake E. Glanzer, of Alexandria, S. D.