Claassen, Evelyn Jantz (1917-2004)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2005 Jan 17 p. 9

Birth date: 1917 Sep 15

text of obituary:

EVELYN CLAASSEN

Evelyn Claassen, 87, died Oct. 15, 2004. She was born Sept. 15, 1917, to Andrew and Wilhelmina Jantz on the family farm near Ruff, Wash.

She was baptized at age 13 at Menno Mennonite Church on April 5, 1931. She graduated from Ritzville High School in 1935. She studied at Washington State College and Eastern State College and worked as a secretary at Adams County Farm Extension Agency.

She married Clint Claassen on May 31, 1941.

She expressed her wide range of interests on the family farm where she was born and where she lived the rest of her life. With assistance from Clint, she made squirrel feeders, restored and refinished furniture, made clothes for her daughters and their dolls and an afghan for each of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She made food for the relief sales and black-bottom cupcakes as special treats for her family. She enjoyed raising fruit trees, gardens and roses; chickens for food; and deep-sea fishing for salmon.

She cared deeply about her family and others. She spent many hours visiting people in hospitals, taking food to neighbors and friends when they needed encouraging. She cared deeply about her faith and church. She loved God and expressed that love in commitment and service to the church. She set an example by hardly ever missing church or women's mission meetings.

Survivors include her husband of 63 years, Clint; a daughter, Sharon Meyer and her husband, Stan, of Moses Lake; a son, Gene and his wife, Dorene, of Marlin; a son, Cleon and his wife, Elizabeth, of Moses Lake; a daughter, Patrice Claassen of North Newton, Kan.; two sisters, Martha Robinson of Traverse City, Mich., and Malinda Zilliox of Moses Lake; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Leonard and Walter Jantz; and a sister, Mary Precht.