Deckert, Annie Laura Sawatzky (1908-2004)

Newton Kansan obituary: 2004 Aug 25

Birth date: 1908 Oct 18

Text of obituary:

ANNIE LAURA (SAWATZKY) DECKERT

Annie Laura Sawatzky was born in Herbert, Saskatchewan on October 18, 1908, the daughter of Jacob F. Sawatzky, a General Conference Mennonite minister and teacher, and Cornelia Klassen Sawatzky, a native of Herbert, Saskatchewan. The family moved to Manitoba for four years, where Anne completed grades 6 through 9. Upon their return to Herbert in 1924 she stayed home to help care for younger siblings, while maintaining a lively interest in reading and the arts.

After her father moved to a pastorate at Bethlehem Mennonite Church near Bloomfield, Montana, Annie married Alvin C. Deckert of Richey in 1930, and became a naturalized U. S. citizen in 1939. She found her vocation as a farmer's wife, a mother and a mentor to her younger brothers. She and Alvin, in their love for growing things, together transformed a barren corner of their farmstead into an unusual garden spot. Both were active in the Bloomfield-Richey community and their church.

With success in farming came winter travel opportunities. They volunteered as mission partners in Bogota, Colombia, spending three months in early 1961 helping in the General Conference mission school and church. After 52 years of marriage, Annie and Alvin moved to North Newton, Kansas, and joined Bethel College Church. Here they greatly enjoyed six years of the community cultural life, until Alvin's death in 1988.

Annie Deckert died August 23, 2004, preceded by sister Katherine and brothers Harry, Victor, John and Benjamin. She is survived by two brothers, Reynold and Gordon, three children — Kenneth Deckert, Marion Deckert and wife Lois, Alison Hiebert and husband Harvey — four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.