Janzen, Jacob H. (1878-1950)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1950 Feb 23 p. 1

Birth date: 1878

text of obituary:

Well-Known Bishop of Ontario Church Died February 16

SERVICES HELD AT WATERLOO LAST SUNDAY

FOR DR. J. H. JANZEN

Funeral services were held at the United Mennonite church of Waterloo, Ontario last Sunday afternoon for Dr. Jacob H. Janzen, widely known bishop and elder of the church who passed away at 4:00 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 16. He had been ill since Dec. 21, 1949.

The funeral services were preceded by a memorial service at the church in the forenoon.

Dr. Janzen was widely known in U.S. and Canadian communities through his activities as a Bible lecturer and writer on both secular and religious subjects. He was ordained bishop and elder of the United church in 1926, soon after his migration to Canada from Russia, and continued to serve the congregation in the capacity of elder emeritus following his retirement.

Taught in Russia

Born at Steinbach in South Russia, he was educated in Mennonite schools there and qualified as an elementary teacher by self-instruction. He later qualified as a high school teacher, and was an instructor in the Ohrloff Girls’ high school, Tiege, from 1908 to 1921.

He was ordained to the ministry at the Gnadenfeld church in Russia on Nov. 19, 1906, and later served the Melitopol church for a number of years. Several years ago the honorary Lit.D. degree was conferred on him by Bethel college.

Dr. Janzen married Helene Braun on Aug 15, 1899. following her death, he was married to Eliese Reimer-Neufeld, who survives him, along with a number of children and grandchildren.

See last article by Dr. Janzen on page 7.