Petkau, Peter David (1884-1969)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1970 Feb 20 p. 26

Birth date: 1884 Jan 28

text of obituary:

PETER DAVID PETKAU

One of a family of ei'ght ch'ildren, Peter Petkau was born on January 28, 1884 in the village o-f Alexandrodar, in the Kuban region of southern Russ-ia. Though a sicklly child the Lord preserved his life and even in -his childhood he displayed a de-sire to know more about Jesus Christ and to serve him. His pa'rents moved 1"0 Orenburg while he was stHla youth and there at the age of 15 he was converted through the ministry of Jakob Martens, a teacher in a sohool for waifs in Dowlekanowo Ufa, and miss'ionary Jakob Rempel. Soon thereafter he was baptized upon the confession of his faith by Jakob Heide and accepted into the Mennoni,te Brethren Church.

As a member of the church he joined actively in its work, doing a thorough work in the Sunday schoo,1 and serving as church secretary for many years. During the First World War he performed al'ternative service as a clerk in a Moscow Hospi'1"al.

In 1906 the Lord led him to Liese Abrams with whom he was jO'ined in marriage. They were blessed with seven children, three sons and four daughte,rs, and materi'a'I!ly they prospered . However, in 1924 his wife suddenly became sick and died. The loss of their mother was a dif ~i cult tr,ial for the fami'ly.

However, he found a seoond wife and mother for l'he large family in Mar,ia Block whom he married in 1924. It was a diHicul;t deoision for her but s;he found the joy to say y-es.

Along with many OThers the family wa-s forced in 1926 to leave their fo'rmer home in Russ'ia for a new homeCanalda. After some years in Saskatchewan, they moved in 1937 to Ontar,io where they had I'ived s'inee.

Mr. Petkau became deeply involved in the work of 1"he local churoh and the conference in Ontario. For many years he served on the board of Eden Chri'sttian College (then High Schoo-I) and 'Of the B-ible school. The concerns of the church's youth lay close to his heart. In the c'Ongrega'tion, firM at Virg!i'l and later in St. Catharines, he also gave fre'ely o,f his time, espeClial,ly in the Sunday school work. As a tetacher, he contiinued serving until his 84th birthday. Since his health remained g'o'od, he served as weH as , his strength permitted unrt,il the last.

After 45 years of marriage, 1)he Lord took his servant home quite suddenly on December 2 after an illness of less than a day. In aH of h'i,s llife it WatS all the time he had spent in a hospital as a pat-ient. The Lord had bl-essed the second marriage with four additionall chil-dren, three sons and one daughter. The bles'sings of the Lord had been many.

Mourning the deMh o,f their father and husband, is his wife Maria, six sons and four daughters, 60 grandchildren and 53 great grandohildren.

The funeral was observed from the Scott St. Mennontite Bret,hren Church, St. Catharine's, with aH the children present, on Deoember 5. Henry P. Penner, Abram Block and G.H. Epp ministered at the funeral and graveside services.