Thiessen, Helen Goertzen (1915-2001)

"Mennonite Brethren Herald" obituary: 2001 Apr 13 p. 27

Birth date: 1915 Jun 22

text of obituary:

HELEN THIESSEN

Helen Thiessen of Herbert, Sask. passed away Feb. 15. She was born June 22, 1915 to Henry and Katherine Goertzen in Herbert. At 15, she moved to Swift Current, Sask. to find work. Here she accepted Christ and was baptized. During the next 10 years, she worked at Cooper's Department Store and attended Herbert Bible School. In 1941 she married J.J. (Jake) Thiessen. They lived on the Thiessen farm in summer and in Herbert in winter, where Jake taught at the Bible school. They pastored Greenfarm MB Church from about 1941 to 1958, when it closed. In 1962 they moved to Lucky Lake, Sask., where they had 5 years of wonderful ministry. They pastored Kelstern (Sask.) MB Church 1967-73, then retired to Swift Current. After Jake's death in 1974, she became involved in Bridgeway Community Church, Swift Current, where she taught Sunday school, was active in prayer ministry, was a deaconess, and enjoyed fellowshipping. She was concerned about friends' and neighbours' spiritual condition. She was an avid reader, studying Scripture and other books with passion, always relating what she read to what the Bible said. She is remembered as a loving, good wife, mother, grandmother and sister. Predeceased by Jake, 4 brothers and 5 sisters, she is mourned by sons Jim of Edmonton, Vic of Graysville, Man. and Jonathan of Malsburg, Germany; 5 grandchildren; 1 sister and 1 brother. The funeral was Feb. 18 in Bridgeway Community Church, with Cliff Janzen ministering.