DeFehr, Elizabeth Dyck (1885-1972)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1972 Apr 21 p. 31

Birth date: 1885 Aug 28

text of obituary:

MRS. ELIZABETH DEFEHR

Elizabeth DeFehr, beloved wife of C. A. DeFehr of Winnipeg, was born on August 28, 1885 in Nikolaifeld, southern Russia, and went to be with her Lord on March 23. She was the daughter of ·Rev. Wilhelm and Maria Dyck and had the advantage of growing up in a Christian home together with one brother and eight sis,ters . At the age of seven she accepted the Lord Jesus as her personal Saviour and at the age of 13 she was baptiz.ed near Einlage and re'ceive,d into the fellowship of the Mennonite Brethren Church. She learned to know her future husband in Petrowka, wh ere she had moved with her parents in 1900, and two years later when they moved to Millerowo she again met him. In 1903 slhe was united in marriage to C.A. DeFehr. When the war broke out in 1914 the business community of Millerowo set up a provisional hospita'i for the care of wounded soldiers and Mrs. De·Fehr was olaced in charge. She served in this ca'pacity for the duration of the conflict. In 1919, after the Revolution, they tied from Millerowo to the Kuban area where they lived for six years until they had the ~pportunity to emigrate to Canada. During the time in the Kuban the Mennonite Bre1hren Chur'ch there commissioned ·her to serve the nee·dy 'as a dea'cones'S. She performed he'r service with much devotion. In 1925 they managed to leave Russia for Canada. At first they lived in the village of Gnadenthal in southern Man'itoba, but soon thereafter they moved to Winnipeg. She was aeotivelyinvo'ived 'in the work of t'he church, 16 years as the head of the women's circle in the Northend (now Elmwood) Church. When her husband was entrus~ed with the responsibility of helping re-set,tle refugees to Paraguay in 1947-48, she accompanied him and faithfully assis,ted him in helping the needy Mennonite settlers. Her love and Christian service was a great enco'uragement to many widowed mo,thers and in later years she kep't a COnlact by correspondence with as many as it was possible for ·her. To her husband and children, she was all that love, fai,thfulness and loving motherhood coU'ld encompass. Her prayers carried them throughout their I.ife together. She reached an age of 86 years and had lived in love and harmony with her husband for 68 years. She is survived by her husband, C.A. DeFehr; one daughter, Mrs. B.B. Fast; three sons, Abram, William and Cornelius, all of W·innipeg, and their wives; 16 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren; and many friends, relatives and co-workers.