Niessen, Liese Pankratz (1890-1969)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1969 Nov 18 p. 30

Birth date: 1890 Jun 24

text of obituary:

LIESE NIESSEN

On October 30, it pleased the Lord to take to himself Mrs. Liese Niessen (nee Pankratz) of Coaldale, Alberta.

She was born on June 24, 1890, in Nikolaithal, South Russia and when only 13 years of age, was forced to take over the family's household duties due to the death of her mother. While in her teens she accepted the Lord Jesus as her personal Saviour and at 20 years of age was baptized by Elder Isaak Dueck and made a member of the Mennonite Church. Through immersion she joined the fellowship of the Mennonite Brethren Church in 1942.

On September 16, 1910 she married David Niessen. The Lord blessed their union with eight children of which five predeceased their mother. During a typhoid epidemic in 1922 her husband was taken from her.

The 47 years of her widowhood she sacrificed to her family and invalid sister. In 1943, after years of famine and religious persecution, she managed to escape the tyranny in Russia by joining a group of refugees. The Lord marvellously granted her emigration rights in 1949. Her family (except for one son) and her handicapped sister also came to Canada. Here Mrs. Niessen took up residence in Coaldale, and spent the remainder of her years.

Funeral services for the late Mrs. Niesse were held in the MB Church on November 1. Officiating, Rev. D.J. Pankratz spoke on the request, the confession and the desire of a parting saint (Gen. 24:56). Rev. H.P. Nikkel stressed the thoughts of faith, of death and of heaven when looking into a grave (2 Cor. 5:1). At the graveside Rev. H.H. Kornelsen read Rev. 21:1-7 and prayed.

Mourning, but not as those without hope, are: two daughters, one son (in Russia), one daughter-in-law, three sons-in-law, 24 grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and many relatives and friends both here and abroad.