Dyck, Susanne Klassen (1902-1969)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1969 May 02 p. 27

Birth date: 1902 Feb 05

text of obituary:

SUSANNE DYCK

(Mrs.) Susanne Dyck (nee Klassen) was born FHbruary 5, 1902, in Barvenkovno, Russia. In her youth she was a student of A.H. Unruh, She was converted at 16 years and the following year she was received into the Mennonite Brethren Church. She loved the Lord and with great enthusiasm she gathered children together from the streets to tell them of Jesus.

On September 25, 1922, she was married to Franz Dyck of Rosenort, a marri'age that was bl(,ssed with four daughters, In 1930 all of their possess,ions were confiscated and th(l family was sent into exile. While many faced the prospect of the future in Siberia with much foreboding, she could still sing the German song, "W,hom God would, bless with special favour, he sends 'into the wide wi'de world," She took literally the promise of Psalm 91:7: "A thousand shall fall at thy Slide and ten thous'and at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee," In spite of hunger, persecution and distress, she mainta'ined a level head and courageous heart, and planned an esc'ape that was crowned wi,t,h success.

Later, in 1938, her husband was exiled again and was never heard from again, In 1943 a daughter, Anita, was lost through sudden ,death.

She showed a special apt,iWde for caring for the sick from e'ariy youth and in 1939 she received a government diploma in midwifery and nursing from the Russian government. Later she received further training and passed similar examinations in Germany,

In 1948 the family emigrated , to Canada. Despite the difficulty of f,inding her way into new circumst'a'll'ces, she nevertheless retained a sympathetic heart and help'ing hands for nei'ghbours and was a blessing to many through the years, Her help was not limited to physkaneeds-she was able to he,lp people with the,ir spiritual needs 'as well.

She passed into the Presence of the Lord on March 5, 1969, her me and de'ath a radiant testimony to Christ. The funeral service was observed in the Culloden (Vancouver) Church with D,B, Wiens, H,G, Classen and H,J, Klassen ministering. She is survived by daughters Mrs. Elfriede Ze·i1ner, Mrs, Kat'ie Koehn and Miss Mimi Dyck; two sons-in-law; two sisters and nine grandchildren.