Doerksen, Gerhard Heinrich (1891-1978)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1978 July 7 p. 30

Birth date: 1891 Aug 02

text of obituary:

GERHARD HEINRICH DOERKSEN

Gerhard Heinrich Doerksen was born to Heinrich Gerhard and Katharina (nee Kroeker) Doerksen on August 2, 1891, at Neu Halbstadt, Sagradowka, south Russia. He graduated from junior high school (Zentral schule) in Ohrloff, Sagradowka. Called up for military service in 1915, he served in the forestry service until 1917. He married Elisabeth A. Peters in 1916. Mr. Doerksen received Jesus as his personal Saviour, was baptized and received into membership a the Alliance church in Ohrloff, Sagradowka in 1920.

The Doerksens emigrated to Canada in 1926, living first in Borden, Sask., and moving to Yarrow, B.C., two years later. They moved once more to Abbotsford, B.C., in 1934, joining the South Abbotsford Mennonite Brethren Church. When the church divided to create another fellowship in 1935, the Doerksens joined the new North Abbots· ford Church, serving the congregation in many ways.

Fourteen children were born to the couple, but three died in infancy. Their marriage lasted 57 years before his wife passed away in 1973. He married Martha Kurth in 1974. Failing health resulted in an operation in 1976, from which he recovered. He became ill again last April and was called home to be with the Lord on June 8.

He leaves to mourn his wife, Martha Doerksen; five sons: Henry and Anna, Abe and Mary, George and Katherine, Peter and Vera and Jake and Elsie, all of B.C.; four daughters: Gertha (Mrs. Albert) Moore, Viola (Mrs. Issac) Penner, Evelyn (Mrs. Ron) Eerdman and Nancy (Mrs. Cam) Nairn; one daughter-in-law, (Mrs.) Susie Doerksen; 32 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; one sister, (Mrs.) Elisabeth Janzen of Yarrow, B.C., and a host of relatives and friends.