Janzen, Esther Friesen (1901-1942)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1942 Aug 27 p. 3

Birth date: 1901 Jul 21

text of obituary:

Mrs. Peter H. Janzen

Mrs. Esther Janzen, nee Friesen, was born the daughter of A. J. and Elizabeth Kroeker Kriesen [sic Friesen], on July 21, 1901, on a farm west of Henderson, Neb. She received part of her education in the public schools. For further education she attended Bethel College, Newton, Kansas, for two years. After this she taught for a number of years in and around Henderson.

In 1921 she received baptism upon the confession of her faith and was received into the Bethesda church. On June 11, 1925, she was united in marriage to Peter H. Janzen. This union was blessed with two daughters, Carol Jean and Donnie Elizabeth.

On her birthday, July 21, of this year, she slipped an fell down a few basement steps, which resulted in a fractured hip. She was taken to the hospital in York. Here she remained two weeks and then was taken to her home. Instead of gaining strength, as was hoped, she grew weaker.

On Aug. 13, at about noon, she suffered a stroke which caused her to pass from this life at 6:15 that same day.

She leaves to morn [sic] her early departure, her husband and two daughters; her parents of Upland, Calif.; three sisters, Phylis [sic Phyllis] of Upland, Calif.; Mrs. Rose Mierau of Ontario, Calif.; Mrs. Nettie Schierling of Los Angeles, Calif.; one brother preceded her in death. She attained the age of 41 years and 23 days.

Her life, which was lived in unselfish service, may be expressed in the following poem:

Let me be the author of a little kindly deed
Of sacrifice and service for a fellow heart in need.
Let me lend a hand of helping to a comrade up the hill.
Let me be an artist of the sunlight of the flowers,
To fill some brother's darkness with the dream of golden hours.
Let me be a master of the music that the birds
Have set artless measures with the most unstudied words.
And if I serve but lonely, and if my song but poor,
May it bear the blossom of green beauty to thy door,
From lane and hill and hollow until the city street,
Grows like a dream of Eden with the bright blossom around its feet.

The funeral services were held Aug. 17, in the Bethesda church. The services were in charge of Rev. A. W. Friesen.

The ladies choir, of which the deceased had been the leader until her death, consisting of the present choir and a number of those who had been members in former years, rendered a number of appropriate songs.

The large audience, reverently, in sincere silence paid tribute to the departed. The flower display also indicated the appreciation and value of the unselfish services rendered in the community by the deceased.

After a song by a male quartet a short committal service was held at the grave in the Bethesda cemetery, northeast of town. — The family.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1942 Aug 27 p. 5

text of obituary:

Local News

. . .

— Friends here have received the sad news of the death of Mrs. Peter H. Janzen (nee Esther Friesen), who passed away Thursday, Aug. 18, at Henderson, Neb. She was a niece of Mrs. C. C. Dick of Newton. She made many friends here while attending Bethel College. she was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Friesen, now living in California.

The Mennonite obituary: 1942 Sep 1 p. 8