Claassen, Jacob P. (1875-1953)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Dec 24 p. 8, 10

Birth date: 1875 Jul 9

JACOB P. CLAASSEN

Jacob P. Claassen was born July 9, 1875, near Marienburg, Germany. He came to this country in 1881 with his parents and settled in Gage county, Nebr. where he spent the rest of his life.

His father passed away when he was only eleven years old. He received his education in the Beatrice public school and a good Christian training in the church school and in his own home. This led him to accept Christ as his personal Saviour, and later he was baptized upon this confession of his faith and joined the local Mennonite church in 1893.

In 1903 he was united in marriage to Helen Goossen and this union was blessed with four children. He deeply felt the loss of his companion when the Lord called her home on March 15, 1912. He was united in marriage on Dec. 11, 1913, to Margaret Goossen, who was a faithful helpmate to him the rest of his life and a loving mother to the four small children. This union was blessed with two sons, one of whom died in infancy. He spent all of his life on the farm.

He enjoyed good health until August, 1949, when a lingering illness set in, and he became partly bedfast in January 1952. Although he was largely confined to his bed for these years, he was always patient and cheerful. His condition became worse the last ten days of this early [sic] life and on Oct. 27, the Lord called him home.

Left to mourn his departure are his wife, Margaret; three sons, Fred and Robert of Beatrice, Nebr., and Arnold of Newton, Kan.; two daughters, Margaret, Mrs. John Hamm, and Gertrude of the home; one son-in-law, four grandchildren, four brothers, two sisters, and many other relatives and friends.

A thought which we cherish and which became strong Christian hope in all his circumstances is based upon I Thessalonians 4:13, 14. “I would not have you to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

The Mennonite obituary: 1953 Dec 8 p. 768