Goertzen, Abraham J. (1863-1956)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Mar 1 p. 3

Birth date: 1863 Dec 26

text of obituary:

92-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT OF HOME FOR AGED AT MT. LAKE DIED

Mountain Lake, Minn. — Funeral services were held at the First Mennonite Church Feb. 25 for Abram J. Goertzen, 92, a resident of the Eventide Home here who passed away Feb. 21.

Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. A. P. Quiring and Mrs. Isaac A. Adrian.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Mar 15 p. 8

text of obituary:

ABRAHAM J. GOERTZEN

Abraham J Goertzen, son of Jacob and Maria Goertzen, was born in South Russia on Dec.26, 1863. He came from a large family of eleven brothers and a sister, and ten half brothers and half sisters. He was the last to survive in this family of 22 children.

At the age of14, in 1878, he came to this country with his parents. He received very little formal education but was able to attend a country school for a few months. At the age of 20 he was baptized upon the confession of his faith by Elder Gerhard Neufeld and was received into the First Mennonite Church of Mt. Lake, Minn. where he was a member at his death.

On Oct. 12, 1890, he was united in marriage with Helena Harder. As a young couple they started farming one mile northwest of what is now Delft. This union was blessed with three children, two daughters and one son. In 1918 they moved to Mt. Lake and on March 3, 1940, Mrs. Goertzen passed away. That was to have been the year for their golden wedding anniversary.

For the past four and a half years he has enjoyed the hospitality of the Eventide home. Although he had suffered from various ailments in his old age he nevertheless had reasonably good health. At his last birthday, the day after Christmas 1955, he was honored with a special birthday party by the family. He showed great delight in the Christmas recitations offered by the great-grandchildren at that time. He also spoke of God's grace and faithfulness to him down through the long years and expressed his continued trust in the Lord for the future.

On Feb. 21,1956, at the age of 92 years, he quietly passed from this life. He had been at the Bethel Hospital in Mt. Lake for only two days.

He leaves to mourn his passing two daughters, Mrs. A. P. Quiring and Mrs. Isaac J. Adrian, both of Mt. Lake; eight grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. One son, Jacob, preceded him in death.

"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them." Revelation 14:13.

Services were held at the First Mennonite Church of Mt. Lake on Saturday, Feb. 25, with Rev. Willard W. Wiebe officiating and the Brethren I. J. Dick and Wesley Jantz assisting. Interment was at the Mt. Lake cemetery.

The Mennonite obituary: 1956 Mar 20 p. 200