Wiens, Henry Reinhart (1904-1969)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1969 Spe 19 p. 27

Birth date: 1904 Jul 16

text of obituary:

HENRY REINHART WIENS

Rev. Henry Wiens of Buhler, Kansas, passed away on August 20.

Henry R. Wiens was born to G. A. and Agatha (Regehr) Wiens on July 16, 1904. After living in Lehigh, Kansas for five years, he and his fami'ly moved to Bessie, Oklahoma. He attended the Corn Bible Academy for three years. In 1925 he enrolled at Tabor Academy. By tending the furnace, working in and manag'ing elevators, and taking out one year to teach, he comlJleted high schoO'l an;d two years of college by 1930. That year, on June 12, he was married to Barbara Kleinsasser, and moved to Corn, Oklahoma; where he taught at Greenfie·ld country' school for six years.

In 1941, after five years as parts man in a Cordell automotive parts house and garage, he accepted the position of superintendent at the Corn Bible School and Academy. He comoleted his B.A. and some graduate work in summer sc:hools. He was ordained to the ministry in 1935 by the Bessie Church.

He moved to Reedley, California in 1946 serving as principal and superintendent of the Immanual Academy. In 1'950 he began an eight-year ministry as ass'istant pastor and, for one year, as pastor of the Reedley Church. In 1959, foHowing nearly a year of work for the Pacif'ic District Home Missions program, he became the pastor of the Dinuba (California) Church. He held this pos·ition for three and a half years, and was ·then asked to accept the post of executive secretary at the Hillsboro, Kansas, offices of the Mennonite Brethren Board of Foreign Missions. In 1967 he came to Buhler, where he was pastor until his death.

He held many offices in the Pacific Distriot, the United States Area, and the General Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Church. He was secretary of the General Conference for nine years. At his death he had completed 21 years on the ·General Conference Board of Reference and Counsel.

Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Barbara; his chi'ldren, Delbert and Marjorie of Fresno, California, Judith of Wichita, Kansas, Kathryn (Mrs., Paul Epp) of Kinshasa, Congo, and Douglas of Hillsboro, Kansas.