Claassen, Edna Pearl Donner (1896-1951)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary:1951 Oct 4 p. 9

Birth date: 1896 Sep 22

MRS. GERH. D. CLAASSEN

Mrs. Gerhard D. Claassen, daughter of J. H. and Ella Louise (Oesch) Donner, was born Sept. 22, 1896, at Aurora, Nebraska and passed away at Banning, Calif., on Sept. 1, 1951 at the age of 54 years, 11 months and 10 days.

She attended the public school of Aurora. She was baptized upon confession of faith in Christ on Easter Day 1911 and received into the fellowship of the church. In 1912 she came to California with her parents, locating at Upland.

She attended the Bible Institute of Los Angeles for three years graduating with the class of June 1920. She served as an instructor in the Holding Institute at Laredo, Texas for two years under the Methodist Church, South.

She was united in marriage with Gerhard D. Claassen at Long Beach, Calif., on May 10, 1931, Rev. H. Albert Claassen officiating. To this union was born one daughter, Anna Louise.

She united with the Second Mennonite church of Paso Robles Calif., in August 1931 and has continued her interest in the work of the church here, and at large, though her health did not always permit her to attend services as regularly as she desired. She had a great concern for the lost round about her and carried on a witnessing and tract ministry on her own in the trailer camps where she happened temporarily to make her home, because of her health.

She passed away rather unexpectedly, though she had a prolonged period of illness. Death came at the hospital at Banning where she had been taken by her sister and daughter only a few hours earlier.

She is survived by her husband and daughter; two sisters and two brothers, Amelia, Mrs. John C. Grubb of Huntington Park. Calif., Evan Donner and Carl Donner of Long Beach, Calif., and Frances, Mrs. Gerald Kodear, Long Beach; and many more relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held in her home church at Paso Robles, Calif., on Sept. 5, 1951, and burial at the church cemetery, in charge of her pastor assisted by Rev. F. F, Jantzen.

The Mennonite obituary: 1951 Sep 25 p. 611