Willems, Hannah Plett (1905-1977)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 28 Apr 1977 p. 8

Birth date: 1905

text of obituary:

Word has been received from Rev. W. W. Harms of the death in Hillsboro Apr. 17 of Mrs. P. B. (Hannah) Willems. Services, with nearly 400 persons in attendance, were held Apr. 20 at the Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church with Pastor Gary Wiens in charge. Mrs. Willems' husband retired recently as office coordinator for the Mennonite Brethren Board of Trustees. She was 72.

26 May 1977 p. 11

HANNAH WILLEMS

Hannah Plett Willems was born to Jacob E. and Mary Heinrichs Plett on Jan. 3, 1905, on the farm east of Springfield KMB Church near Lehigh, Kan. She died Sunday evening, Apr. 17, 1977, at 72 years of age.

She grew up on the family farm near Lehigh. She was the firstborn and she was joined by two sisters and five brothers. She accepted the Lord at an early age and was baptized on June 24, 1917, at which time she joined the Springfield church.

Mother attended the Springfield and Plainview schools and Zoar Academy. At Zoar Academy she met and fell in love with Peter B. Willems. They were married on May 5, 1926, at the Springfield church. Immediately following their marriage they spent two years in Chicago before returning to the farm near Lehigh in 1929. In 1937 they moved to Hillsboro and remained residents there until her passing.

Into this marriage three children, Ethel, Rubena and Edwin, were born. In 1940 our parents joined the Gnadenau KMB Church, now the Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church, and she remained an active and devoted member until her death. She was active in church and community affairs and she was constantly engaged in a wide variety of services. Last summer dad and mother celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. All their children and grandchildren were able to join in this happy occasion.

Though her passing came as a severe shock since she seemed on the road to recovery from serious surgery, we are deeply grateful for the privilege of sharing the years of love and devotion with her. She is survived by her husband; three children, Ethel and her husband Willis Kleinsasser, of Azusa, Calif., Rubena and husband William Hiebert of Orland, Calif., and Edwin and wife Gwen of Houston, Tex.; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob E. Plett; five brothers, one sister, and 12 grandchildrren.

Mother was a strong person. She gave much and she gave it freely to many people. The messages and the flowers received upon her death indicate that she touched the lives of people from Canada to Texas and from California to North Carolina as well as foreign coutnries. Mother made mistakes, and she was painfully aware of that. But her willingness to try again, her commitment to her loved ones, her willingness to forgive others and also her humility about her accomplishments always made her very forgivable. -- The Family.