Duerksen, A. Adolph (1908-1992)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 5 Nov 1992 p. 12

Birth date: 1908

text of obituary:

NEWTON & VICINITY

A. Adolph Duerksen, 84, of Goessel, died Nov. 2 at Bethesda Home, Goessel. Funeral services will be held Friday, Nov. 5, at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church, rural Goessel. Dennis Schmidt and Milton Harder will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Survivors include his wife, Velda (Richter); one son, Richard of Coopersburg, Pa.; three daughters, Lois Loeppky of Steinbach, Man., Barbara Goering of Gillingham, Wis., Julia Smith of San Francisco; one brother, Alvin of Newton; and five grandchildren.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 11 Feb 1993 p. 10

text of obituary:

A. ADOLPH DUERKSEN

A. Adolph Duerksen was born Oct. 14, 1908, in Marion County, Kan. His parents were Gerhard J. and Maria (Woelk) Duerksen.

He was baptized in 1932, becoming a member of Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church. He and Velda Richert were married in Alexanderwohl on April 16, 1942.

During World War II he served in Civilian Public Service. He worked with soil conservation near Colorado Springs, Colo., and Lincoln, Neb., and in a mental hospital in Norristown, Pa. After being discharged from CPS in October 1945, he and Velda took over the Richert family farm north of goessel. Grain and dairy farming remained his occupation until he retired in 1984.

He served on the school board during the years of consolidation of the school districts. For many years he was the Alexanderwohl representative to the Mennonite Mutual Aid Association.

For many years he had health problems, including several bouts with cancer and heart disease. Following a stroke, he died Nov. 2, 1992, at the age of 84.

Survivors include his wife, Velda; children, Lois and Otto Loeppky of Steinbach, Man., Barbara Duerksen and Steven Goering of Gillingham, Wis., Julia Duerksen and Allan Smith of San Francisco and Richard and Sheryl Duerksen of Coopersburg, Pa.; five grandchildren and brother Alvin of Newton.

He had strong faith in Jesus Christ, out of which came his commitments to peace and mutual aid. He was firm in his opposition to war and preparation for war. He believed the true concept of community included concern for the welfare of fellow believers in all phases of life. He loved Mennonite/Anabaptist history and passed his beliefs and values on to his children.