Balzer, Jacob Frank (1884-1970)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1970 Mar 12 p. 2

Date of Birth: 1884 Jun 11, Minnesota
Date of Death: 1970 March 12, Crete Nebraska

text of obituary:

Former Bethel College Professor and Dean Dies in Nebraska

North Newton. — Word was received at Bethel College early this week that Rev. Jacob F. Balzer, 84, who served on the Bethel faculty from 1913 to 1918 and as dean of the college from 1914 to 1918, died last Sunday at Crete, Neb.

A native of Mt. Lake, Minn., Rev. Balzer received a junior college degree from Bethel College in 1906. He received the A.B. degree from Carleton College, and the Master's from the University of Chicago.

He served on the Carleton College faculty for 12 years, and In 1937 went to Crete where he became pastor of the First Congregational Church and joined the faculty of Doane College. He was professor of Bible and sociology and also served as dean of the college.

See article: "Jacob Frank Balzer (1884-1970): Doing Right from Left" by Dan Tyson, Mennonite Life, September 2004, vol. 59. [1]

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MLA Personal Photos Collection

Biographical note:
Mt. Lake, Minnesota
Son of Frank Sr. and Agatha (hiebert) Balzer
Married Jennie Alieda van der Smissen 1913 June 19, Berne, Indiana
Married Alice Bromwell 1965
Teacher, dean -- Bethel College 1913-1918, Carlton College
Teacher, Minister (Congregational) -- Crete, Nebraska; Doane College

Bethel alumni note:
Bethel College 1905

Photo holdings:
Individual (age 5) -- Lehigh, Kansas
Individual
Individual -- Newton, Kansas
Individual -- 1915 Newton, Kansas
Individual (as Bethel College dean) -- 1918 (2 copies)
With sister, Sara -- 1887, Mt. Lake, Minn.
With 5 siblings (on porch)
With 20 cousins -- 1902 Mt. Lake, Minn.
With wife 1 and 2 daughters -- 1917
With wife 1 and 3 daughters -- c. 1923
With wife 1 and 3 daughters -- c. 1928
Individual -- publicity photo, Founders Day Speaker 1947
Wife wife -- 1955 BC Graymaroon, p. 83
See Frank Balzer Sr. (1859-1944) for family photos
See Jacob Balzer (1835-1911) for family photo
See Jacob J. Balzer (1860-1946) for family photo
See Carl Heinrich Anton van der Smission (1851-1950) for family photos

Sources:
Die Mennonitenfamilie vds ... 1987 p. 236
B. Bargen Hiebert genealogy card 111-11
Grandma Profile #31395
Photos from:
--Frank Balzer family 1986
--S.S. Haury album
--Bertha (Neufeld) Krehbiel 1997
--Martha M. (Friesen) Graber 1985
--T.A. van der Smissen collection 2001
--Alumni Office photo files