Doerksen, Lillian Ruth (1921-2008)

''Mennonite Brethren Herald'' obituary: obituary: 2009 Jan p. 31

Birth date: 1921

text of obituary:

<center><h3>LILLIAN RUTH DOERKSEN</h3></center>

Oct. 9, 2008. She was born

in 1921 in Herbert, Sask .

to Jacob and Elizabeth

Doerksen. She responded

to God's call while attend-

ing Biola University in Los

Angeles, Cal., and left for India in 1950. Her nearly

50 years as a missionary/educator in India saw her

serve the Ramabai Mukti Mission from 1950-1986.

During these years she raised 34 orphan girls

and gave leadership to the publicity depart-

ment and the campus school. Motivated by the

birth of several deaf "grandchildren," she founded

the Maharashtra Deaf Fellowship (MDF) of India

upon her retirement in 1987. Biola University

honored Lillian in 2004 by awarding her the Clyde

Cook presidential trophy for her outstanding

missionary achievements as a graduate of their

school. During her lifetime she was a member

of Main Center (Sask.) MB Church as well as

the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Vancouver, B.c.

Predeceased by 3 siblings, Lillian is mourned by

siblings Rosella Schmidt, John, Mabel (Georges)

Sourisseau and Viola (Harold) Ratzlaff; most of the

34 girls in her Honeysuckle Family (Mukti); and the

many deaf residents living on the four campuses

of the MDF.

The Globe and Mail ran a tribute to Lillian Doerksen Nov. 18. Read it online at www.theglobeandmail.

com/servlet/story/LAC.20081118.0BDOERKSEN18/TPStory/

[[Category:Mennonite Brethren Herald obituaries]]