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Dirks, Sylvester (1916-2007)
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Sylvester Dirks died |
Sylvester Dirks died |
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| − | Jan |
+ | Jan. 7. He was born in |
1916 to Jacob B. and |
1916 to Jacob B. and |
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| − | Susanna Dirks in |
+ | Susanna Dirks in Waldheim, Sask. At 13, he |
| − | heim, Sask. At 13, he |
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had a life-transforming |
had a life-transforming |
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encounter with Jesus |
encounter with Jesus |
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| Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
he fell in love with Matilda Epp and married her |
he fell in love with Matilda Epp and married her |
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in 1941. They moved to B.C. and taught at Yarrow |
in 1941. They moved to B.C. and taught at Yarrow |
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| − | Bible School. Feeling the call to missionary |
+ | Bible School. Feeling the call to missionary service, Sylvester and Matilda enrolled in a linguistics |
| − | ice, Sylvester and Matilda enrolled in a linguistics |
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course at Briercrest Bible Institute. In 1944, they |
course at Briercrest Bible Institute. In 1944, they |
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went to Peru and were among the original core of |
went to Peru and were among the original core of |
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Wycliffe workers in that country. With colleague |
Wycliffe workers in that country. With colleague |
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| − | Will Kindberg, Sylvester translated the New |
+ | Will Kindberg, Sylvester translated the New Testament into the Ashaninca language. In 1967, |
| − | tament into the Ashaninca language. In 1967, |
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the family moved back to North America, where |
the family moved back to North America, where |
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| − | Sylvester served as pastor in several churches, |
+ | Sylvester served as pastor in several churches, including Dalmeny (Sask.) MB Church, Friedenstal |
| − | cluding Dalmeny (Sask.) MB Church, Friedenstal |
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Church (Lehigh, Kan.), and Nutana MB Church |
Church (Lehigh, Kan.), and Nutana MB Church |
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| − | (Saskatoon). He then served 2 years in Cali, |
+ | (Saskatoon). He then served 2 years in Cali, Colombia, returned to minister in Brooks, Alta., and |
| − | + | retired in 1984 to Abbotsford, B.C. In retirement, |
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| − | + | Sylvester served with Kingdom Ventures, Partnership Evangelism, and Logos Ministries. After Matty's death in 1997, Sylvester fell in love with and married Nelly Klassen. Predeceased by Nelly |
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| − | + | in 2002; Matilda; 1 infant daughter; 1 son; he is |
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| − | + | mourned by 2 sons; 5 daughters; 20 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; 2 brothers; 2 sisters. |
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| − | + | The memorial service was Jan. 11 at Bakerview |
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| − | + | MB Church, Abbotsford, B.C. |
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| − | just days before the |
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| − | Bolshevik coup. Nine |
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| − | years later his family |
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| − | immigrated to Mani- |
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| − | toba, where they lived |
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| − | until 1934. In Alexander, Man., David accepted |
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| − | Christ as the constant for the rest of his life. In |
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| − | the midst of the Depression, the family moved |
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| − | to Abbotsford, B.C. David was baptized in 1936 |
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| − | and joined South Abbotsford MB Church. In |
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| − | 1939, he went to Hepburn (Sask.) Bible School, |
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| − | where he met Helen Lepp, whom David called |
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| − | "the best girl God made for me." They were mar- |
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| − | ried Oct. 11, 1940 and promptly moved back to |
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| − | Abbotsford. The highlights of David's life were |
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| − | marriage, children, church membership, and |
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| − | Singing in choirs, quartets, and octets. David is |
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| − | mourned by Helen; children Allen, Betty, Jerry, |
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| − | and David Jr.; 9 grandchildren; 16 great-grand- |
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| − | children. The memorial service was Jan. 5 at |
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| − | Bakerview MB Church, Abbotsford. |
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| − | John Albert Rempel |
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| − | John Albert Rempel |
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| − | died Dec. 26 after a |
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| − | short battle with |
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| − | cancer. He was born |
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| − | Oct. 1S, 1932 in Win- |
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| − | kler, Man. to John and |
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| − | Anna Rempel. He ac- |
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| − | cepted the Lord as his |
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| − | Saviour July 6, 1945 at |
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| − | a Bill Hoover Crusade, was baptized, and joined |
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| − | Winkler MB Church. The family moved to Minto, |
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| − | Man., where he joined Boissevain MB Church. |
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| − | John married Rosa Janzen Apr. 17, 1955 . They |
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| − | farmed in Minto for 40 years. After retirement, |
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| − | John enjoyed helping on the neighbour'S farm |
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| − | and restoring tractors. He served on the Bois- |
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| − | sevain Hospital board, and was a member of |
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| − | the Wildlife Federation, Minto Co - op board, |
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| − | and Minto Drop-in Centre committee. John en- |
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| − | retired in 1984 to Abbotsford, B.C. In retirement, joyed hunting, fishing, quartet singing, western |
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| − | Sylvester served with Kingdom Ventures, Part- gospel music, working with the Boys ' Brigade |
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| − | nership Evangelism, and Logos Ministries. Afteratty's death in 1997, Sylvester fell in love with |
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| − | Herman Klassen died and married Nelly Klassen . Predeceased by Nelly |
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| − | Jan. 6. He was born Mar. in 2002; Matilda; 1 infant daughter; 1 son; he is |
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| − | 17, 1920 in Gnaden- mourned by 2 sons; 5 daughters; 20 grandchil- |
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| − | heim, Siberia to Herman dren; 4 great-grandchildren; 2 brothers; 2 sisters. |
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| − | and Helena Klassen. The memorial service was Jan . 11 at Bakerview |
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| − | MB Church, Abbotsford, B.c. |
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[[Category:Mennonite Brethren Herald obituaries]] |
[[Category:Mennonite Brethren Herald obituaries]] |
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Latest revision as of 13:08, 6 May 2024
"Mennonite Brethren Herald" obituary: 2007 March p. 29
Birth date: 1916 Apr 28
text of obituary:
SYLVESTER DIRKS
Sylvester Dirks died Jan. 7. He was born in 1916 to Jacob B. and Susanna Dirks in Waldheim, Sask. At 13, he had a life-transforming encounter with Jesus Christ, was baptized, and joined Salem Church. While attending Bethany Bible Institute, he fell in love with Matilda Epp and married her in 1941. They moved to B.C. and taught at Yarrow Bible School. Feeling the call to missionary service, Sylvester and Matilda enrolled in a linguistics course at Briercrest Bible Institute. In 1944, they went to Peru and were among the original core of Wycliffe workers in that country. With colleague Will Kindberg, Sylvester translated the New Testament into the Ashaninca language. In 1967, the family moved back to North America, where Sylvester served as pastor in several churches, including Dalmeny (Sask.) MB Church, Friedenstal Church (Lehigh, Kan.), and Nutana MB Church (Saskatoon). He then served 2 years in Cali, Colombia, returned to minister in Brooks, Alta., and retired in 1984 to Abbotsford, B.C. In retirement, Sylvester served with Kingdom Ventures, Partnership Evangelism, and Logos Ministries. After Matty's death in 1997, Sylvester fell in love with and married Nelly Klassen. Predeceased by Nelly in 2002; Matilda; 1 infant daughter; 1 son; he is mourned by 2 sons; 5 daughters; 20 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; 2 brothers; 2 sisters. The memorial service was Jan. 11 at Bakerview MB Church, Abbotsford, B.C.
