Groening, Jacob (1915-2001)

"Mennonite Brethren Herald" obituary: 2002 Mar 8

Birth date: 1915 Mar 10

text of obituary:

JACOB GROENING

jacob Groening of Ab- botsford, B.C. passed away Dec. 1. He was born Mar. 10, 1915 to jacob and Margareta Groening in Ufa, Rus- sia . When he was 8, his mother died. His father remarried, and the family moved to Halb- stadt, Molotschna, Ukraine. He married Al - ice Hiller of Tiegen- hagen, Molotschna, Dec. 31, 1939. Except for brief interludes, he was separated from his family for much of the next 9 years. During the war, he and his family fled separately to Germany; 2 children died. In 1947 he was reunited with Alice and their son in southern Germany. In 1948 t hey immigrated to Coal- dale, Alta. He accepted Christ in 1949 and was baptized in Coaldale MB Church. He made many friends. In 1950, a daughter died in childbirth. In 1984 Al- ice died of cancer. Later that year, he married Margaret Martens. Throughout all the hardships in his life, he never lost his positive outlook or his warm, accepting spirit. Prede- ceased by Alice; 3 in- fant children, son Alfred in 1996 and a sister, he is mourned by Mar- garet; daughter Hilde Wiebe; 4 grandchil- dren; stepchildren Mar- lene Unruh, Linda Krause, Lori Sinclair, He- len Coughlin and Mari- anne Hill; and 2 sisters. The memorial service was Dec. 6 in Clear- brook MB Church, Ab- botsford, with Art Isaac ministering.