Enns, Dietrich H. (1877-1958)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1959 Jan 1 p. 8

Birth date: 1877 May 27

text of obituary:

DIETRICH H. ENNS

Our loving husband and father, Dietrich H. Enns, was born on May 27, 1877, in South Russia in the village Margenau. Here he spent his boyhood days and attended school. In order to avoid the call into the Russian army, he left in the year 1898, came to America and settled near Inman, Kansas.

January 27, 1903, he was united in holy matrimony to Sarah [sic Sara] Balzer, and they settled on a farm near Lehigh, Kansas.

In 1904 they homesteaded on a farm near Hooker, Okla. On this farm they were to spend many happy and fruitful days together. This marriage, which lasted 55 years,10 months, and 36 days, was blessed with 14 children, seven sons and seven daughters. One son, Alvin, died at the age of two as a result of an accident.

In August 1909 our father was saved by the grace of God. In the same year, on Oct. 17, he was baptized, by Rev. Abraham Cornelsen.

Our father was a hard worker and a good provider. Above everything else, after he came to know the Lord as his personal Saviour, he was interested in the Word of God and devoted to the service of the Lord. On May 12, 1913, the church at Hooker, Okla., recognized in him the call of the Lord and he was voted to serve as a lay minister. Four years later he was officially ordained to the ministry of the gospel and sought to serve the Lord diligently in this field.

In 1934 we moved to Orland, Calif., where we made our home on a farm. Here father again shared in the work of the church, preaching the Word of God, visiting the sick, and ministering in a general way. In 1944 we moved to Reedley, Calif., where we have made our home to the present time.

Our father was a robust, strong man and enjoyed a long life of good health. It was only in the last nine months that he suffered with various types of illnesses. Though he had certain battles in these days, there often welled up in him a longing to go home and be with the Lord. The Lord in heaven granted him an abundant entrance to the glorious mansions above on Thursday morning, Dec. 18, 1958, at 6:10 a.m. He reached the age of 81 years, six months, and 21 days.

We as a family rejoice and are grateful to God that he could be delivered and go to his eternal reward. Those who remain to pay tribute to his faithfulness are his loving wife, Mrs. Sarah [sic Sara] Enns of Reedley; 13 children, Bertha, Mrs. Charlie Collier of Chico, Calif., Olga, Mrs. Frank Wall of Reedley, Herman Enns of Orland, Calif., Dick Enns of Orland, Sarah [sic Sara], Mrs. Elmo Warkentin of Donors Grove, Ill., Mary, Mrs. Albert Rifffel [sic Riffel] of Orland, Katie, Mrs. Frank Ewert of Orland, Alfred Enns of Portland, Oregon, Orlando Enns of Irvington, Calif., Walton Enns of Chico, Adina, Mrs. Bob Mumford of Pacific Grove, Calif., Rosella, Mrs. Verling Isgrigg of Dinuba, Calif., and Victor Enns of Shafter, Calif.

Besides these there is one sister-in-law and one brother-in-law, 32 grandchildren, and many other relatives and friends. — The Family.