Duerksen, George F. (1894-1970)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1970 Jul 9 p. 11

Birth date: 1894 May 7

text of obituary:

GEORGE F. DUERKSEN

George F. Duerksen was born to Frank and Kathryn (Warkentin) Duerksen on May 7, 1894, at Hillsboro, Kan., and went to be with his Lord on May 15, 1970, at 8:15 a.m., while fishing at Sequoia Lake. He reached the age of 76 years and eight days.

His childhood and youth were spent in the Hillsboro community. He attended the local schools. As a teenager he accepted Christ as his personal savior and was baptized and received into the Hillsboro M.B. Church on May 23, 1909.

Farming was his life’s occupation. During the last 30 years he also did carpenter work and worked in the local raisin houses.

On Jan. 14, 1915, he was married to Marie Gaede. They were happily married for 30 years during which time they lived in Kansas, Oklahoma, and California. To this union were born four daughters and one son: Evelyn, Mrs. Willard Conyers of Marion, Kan.; Mary Ann, Mrs. Corney Heinrichs of San Jose; Francis, Mrs. Jack Block of Wolf Point, Mont.: George of Fresno; and Phyllis, Mrs. Phil Siemens of Pleasant Hill, Calif. To this family relationship belong 17 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Our mother was called to be with the Lord on June 10, 1945.

Dad was married to Helen Willems on May 14, 1946. They celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary the evening before he passed away.

Father was the oldest in a family of ten children: P. A. Duerksen and Tina Hein of Hillsboro; Lizzie Isaak of Reedley, Calif.; Martha Bartel of Hillsboro; John Duerksen, Henry Duerksen and Helen Warkentin, all of Dinuba, Calif. Elmer Duerksen of Fresno, Calif.; and Franklin Duerksen of Reedley, Calif., who preceded him in death by just one year and one day.

One son-in-law, Willard Conyers, one grandchild and one great-grandchild also preceded him in death.

Father was a devout, sincere Christian, a devoted husband and father. He greatly enjoyed Christian fellowship in the church. He spent much time praying for lost souls and for missions and the work of the church. He will always be remembered for his friendliness and willingness to help others and for his service in the church. He enjoyed serving on the social committee, church council, and as a trustee of the church. He was a faithful member of his Sunday school class as long as he was able to attend.

"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass" (Psalm 37:5) was a strengthening word from the Bible for him. — Mrs. Helen Duerksen and Family.