Dalke, Gustav (1889-1944)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1945 Jun 19 p. 14

Birth date: 1889 Jun 7

text of obituary:

Gustva [sic Gustav] Dalke, Sohn von C. K. u. Kath. Schroeder Dalke, ward am 7. Juni 1889 bei Gnadenberg, Kansas geboren. 1892 zogen die Eltern nach Bessie, Okla. auf eine Heimstätte, wo Gustva [sic Gustav] unter schweren Verhältnissen im geliebten Eltern- und Geschwisterkreis aufwuchs und seine Schulbildung genoß. Am 4. Juni 1906 ward er von Aelt. Michäel Klaassen getauft und in die Herold Gemeinde aufgenommen. Am 7. Sept. 1910 heiratete er Helene Klaassen und sie lebten über 34 Jahre in glücklicher Ehe. August 1918 fuhr die Familie im Auto nach Laird, Sask. und fanden zunäscht in Tiefengrund freundliche Aufnahme; siedelte aber bald über nach Manitoba, wo er im Herbst 1925 in der Stadt Morden ein Transfer-Geschäft anfing und bis zu seinem Tode betrieb. 1941 mußte er sich einer Gallenstein-Operation unterziehen, wovon er nach langem Krankenlager sich gottlob erholte; bis im Frühjahr 1944 sich ein neues Leiden einstellte. X-ray stellte Magenkrebs fest, was fast wie ein Todesurteil kam. Die angeratene gefährliche Operation gab schwere Kämpfe bis der Entschluß zur Operation erfolgte. Gestützt auf Gottes Verheißungen ward dieselbe am 29. Aug. 1944 im Boniface hospital, Winnipeg, vollzogen. Er pries Gott für den Erfolg und für das Blut das 20 Personen durch die Wissenschaft für ihn hergaben. Doch Gottes Gedanken waren diesesmal weit höher als unsere. Nachdem wir glaubten die schwersten Tage seien überstanden, verschlimmerte sich am 6. Sept seine Lage und am 8. Sept. entfloh seine Seele der zerbrechlichen Hülle, und er ging ein zur Ruhe der Kinder Gottes aus einem arbeitsreichen Leben. Wir hätten ihn noch gerne bei uns behalten und er wäre gerne geblieben. Doch sagte er, “Wie Gott will.” Er wurde 55 J. 3 M. und 1 Tag alt. Es überleben ihn: seine Gattin; 2 Töchter und Familien; 3 Schwestern, 4 Brüder und Familien und viele Freunde, die sein Scheiden betrauern. Zwei Söhne und 1 Enkel sind gestorben. Das Begräbnis war am 13. Sept. in der Bergthaler Gemeinde zu Morden wo er seit 1939 Glied war. Es dienten die Prediger J. J. Pauls, Ps. 121:1 - 2; W. S. Buhr, Gal. 1:3 - 5; Franz Friesen, 2 Kön. 20:1; Aelt. David Schulz, 2 Kor. 13. und Benj. Ewert sprach über Leben und Sterben. Ein Duett sang: “Jesus Lover, of my Soul” und “Saved by Grace.” Nun ruht er im eingesegneten Grab, auf den Auserstehungsmorgen wartend. (Die “Rundschau” möchte kopieren).

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1944 Nov 2 p. 3

text of obituary:

GUSTAV DALKE

The following is a brief account of the life of the deceased brother in Christ, Gustav Dalke, of Morden, Manitoba.

The deceased first the light of this world June, 1889, in the Gnadenberg community near Newton, Kansas, U. S. A.

At the age of three he moved to Cordell, Oklahoma, with his parents where he spent his youth. It was most likely in his fourteenth year when he became a catechumen and after three years of searching and instruction unto the ways of life eternal he was baptized by his future father-in-law, the Rev. Michael Klaassen, and received into the membership of the Herold Church.

On September 7, 1910, he was joined in wedlock to Helena Klaassen. Out of this marriage four children were born, two sons and two daughters. Both sons died on the day of their birth; the daughters are both married. Seven grandchildren were born to them, of whom six are living.

In August, 1918, due to the World War, Mr. Dalke and his family and alter most of his immediate relatives sojourned to Canada. They first stopped in Saskatchewan and three months later came to the Morden district. During the first seven years here the deceased farmed and then moved to town. In 1928 he began his well known transfer business under the name of "The Morden transfer." Mr. Dalke's life has been busy one. He toiled early and late and very often all through the night. This to make a living and to serve the public. At a new year's meeting Mr. Dalkle [sic Dalke] rose and quoted the number of miles his trucks had traveled during the year, and that without a single accident, and he praised the Lord for it.

In 1934 the Herold Church north of Morden lost their bishop and in 1939 the members of that group joined the Bergthaler fold. Brother Dalke was with them. He almost immediately was elected into the church board and has been an active member of it until the day of his departure. We will greatly miss his cooperation. He proved a humble servant of the Lord. We shall not forget when 3 years ago he underwent a gallstones operation he expressed his unworthiness of all the attention given him. The same attitude he manifested this time when he was operated for cancer of the stomach. it almost overwhelmed him that 17 different persons donated blood for him, and that many others manifested sympathy and friendship. He called many of his close friends to have a prayer meeting to implore with him the Omnipotent to sustain him. He expressed confidence after the operation that the Lord would let him regain his health but the All-wise had ordered it differently.

Regarding his personal convictions he confessed that he was saved by grace and also that he enjoyed peace.

Mr. Dalke reached the age of 55 years, three months and one day. He was married for 34 years; was very sick 11 days and died on Friday, September 8, at 11:45 P. M. in the St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Helena Dalke, two married daughters, two sons-in-law, six grandchildren, four brothers, three sisters, seven brothers-in-law and six sisters-in-law and a host of friends, who mourn his all too early departure, yet knowing the ways of the Lord are right. May the beloved friends intercede in prayer for the bereaved family.

Funeral services for Brother Dalke were held Sept. 13, at 1:30 P. M. at the home, where Rev. J. M. Pauls officiated.

At the nearby church a loud speaker had been set up to accommodate the large crowd that was present. Here the services were conducted by Rev. Pauls, Rev. Peters, Rev. Buhr, Rev. F. Friesen, Rev. D. Schultz and Rev. B. Ewert, Elder-at-large.

Burial was in the cemetery at the church.