Duerksen, John R. (1884-1965)

The Mennonite obituary: 1966 Jan 25 p. 70

Birth date: 1884 Nov 2

text of obituary:

John R. Duerksen, Hesston Kan., a former General Conference Missionary to Arizona, died on Dec. 29. He was born Nov. 2, 1884, near Hillsboro, Kansas. He began work in Arizona in 1911, continuing for twenty years. The Duerksens worked first at Moencopi and then at Oraibi and Hotevilla. He translated part of the New Testament into the Hopi language and worked on a Hopi hymnbook. He served in pastorates in Kirk and Vona, Colo., the American Sunday School Union near Limon, Colo., Zion Church, Kingman, Kan., and the Herold Church, Bessie, Okla. Survivors include a son, John P., professor at Hesston College; three daughters, Marie, a former missionary in India, now Mrs. John P. Kleinsasser of Freeman, S. D.; Marta, Mrs. Evan Oswald, Hesston; Ruth, Mrs. Lorne Schmitt of Minden, Ontario.

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Newton Kansan obituary: 1965 Dec 30 p. 8

text of obituary:

Rev. J. R. Duerksen

HESSTON — The Rev. J. R. Duerksen, 81, of Hesston died Wednesday at the Schowalter Villa.

He was born Nov. 2, 1884 near Hillsboro, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Duerksen. On Aug. 12, 1912 he married Susanna Quiring who died in 1960. He served for 20 years as a missionary to the Hopi Indians in Arizona and spent considerable time translating the New Testament in the Hopi language. He also served as a pastor to churches in Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma. They lived in Newton for about 14 years before moving to Hesston in 1956.

Survivors include one son John P. of Hesston; three daughters, Mrs. J. P. (Marie) Kleinsasser of Freeman, S. D., Mrs. Evan (Martha) Oswald of Hesston and Mrs. Lorne (Ruth) Schmitt of Minden, Ontario, Canada; nine grandchildren; three brothers, A. R. of Newton, Jacob R. Duerksen of Reedley, Calif. and George R. of Henderson, Neb.; four sisters: Mrs. Katherine Harms of Newton, Mrs. P. F. Quiring of Goessel, Mrs. Albert Schmidt of Hillsboro and Mrs. P. L. Schmidt, of Route 2, Newton.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a. m. Tuesday in the 1st Mennonite Church of Newton with the Rev. Arnold Epp and Rev. Peter Wiebe officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. The Miller Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. The body will lie in state at the Miller Funeral Home in Goessel Monday.