Reimer, Gerhard J. (1885-1970)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1970 Dec 24. p. 26

Birth date: 1885 May 17

text of obituary:

GERHARD J. REIMER

The obituary of Mr. Reim er wets W1'itt en by his w idow, (Mrs.) Margaret R ei - m er. My husband w as called to his heavenly hom e on October 2, 1970 'and although his work 011 earth is done, his m emory s@ lingers . He w as -born on May 17, 1885, in W iesenfeld, South Russia. Here he spent his childhood and rece,ived his elem entary e·ducation. Then followed three years of high schoo,1 and two y ears of t eacher training. He then taught several year and since he was not d raft ed he ·Iater continued his education, studying a fu rth er four years in th e Tea ch er Training 'Institute at Jaroslaw and three y ears in th e University of Kiev. He finished his ed ucation in 1915 and w as soon drafted into the service. He was first assigned to office duty in Moscow and then to Ya.Jta, in th e Crimea . .In spring 1918 he was re leased from th e servic e and came to live at Ts·chongrau, Crimea, where he was aske'd to serve as a teacher in 'a newly opened Bible school. He w as happy in his association with yo ung people and loved them until the end. In his diary in the hospital this summ er, he wrote, " Toda,y some of t he y,ounger folks vi sited m e and w e ha d a pleasant conversation. Ho w I appreciate such visits!" The principal of one of our Kingsville (Ont.) schools said to me recently, "I lost a fri'end in your husband's passing," and repeat ed this several tim es. My husband had often 'inquired of him how things were -going at th e school. A form er Bible school student wrote, " Your husband, our brother, teach er and Iriend, w i'll always be remembered with high esteem ." M any friends have made simi'lar comments, or expressed it with a handshake. A w alrm thank you for th e many sympathy cards and let't ers . Although my husband was resig ned to he called to his hea,veniy home, h'is condition during the summer grad ually improved. It w as a miracle that he could com e hom e from th e hospita·1 for a part of th e summer. He wrote about 'it in the Herald. His interest in Me and in o th er people awakened again. He did a I'ot of reading and often rested neaf Lake Erie and enjoyed God 's wonderful world o,f nature. He also wrote many let'terson his old typewriter and was always glad to hav e someone drop in for a visit. He also st,arted to take p8rt in the Sunday schoo l again . Then a relc:pse cam e and after seven preciou s weeks at home, he had to go back to he hospital. He himself packed a small case w ith books, including a new Bible (Bruns' trans'lat,ion) which he had just ordered, and a few books on prophecy. He wanted to do much readi ng and studying and so I also brought him some of his Christ,ian periodica,ls. But his streng,th fai'led too quickly. Three we'eks before his homegoing, he .asked me to tak e -a ll his books e'xcept a Bible home and added, " Very like'ly 'I w i'll not read them anymore." A we·ek 'I,ater he remarked that his Bible was too heavy for him but said t hat he meditated upon the Word in his soul. May the Bibles which were given in his memory becom e a r,ea,1bless,ing to those who receive them , as he was blessed by th e Word of Life. From his diary, I r,ead, "I am t hankfu'l to God tha t I had t he privilege of readi ng the Holy Scr,iptures." In Psa'im 119:111 , we read, "Your testimonies have I taken as an heritage forev.er, for they are the rejoicing of my heart."