Ensz, Martha (1908-1958)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1958 May 1 p. 8

Birth date: 1908 Oct 2

text of obituary:

MISS MARTHA ENSZ

Martha Ensz, our sister, was born on Oct. 2, 1908, at Marion, South Dakota and came to Morse, Sask. in the Neidpath district with her parents, the late Peter and Helena Ensz, in April 1911.

She was preceded in death July 28,1915, by her mother and on Nov. 30, 1917, by her father. Her oldest sister, Mari, then took care of her.

In 1927 when she found herself in a spiritually lost condition, she found her Saviour at a meeting held in the schoolhouse, and about a month later she followed the Lord in baptism. She was baptized by Elder Franz Sawatzky at Herbert Mennonite Conference Church, Herbert, Sask.

In the winter of 1940-41 she went to Alberta and worked in Fort Macleod, Lethbridge and Claresholm. For the past nine years she had worked in the Claresholm Municipal Hospital and Nurses Residence. During this time, since there was no Mennonite church in Claresholm, she began taking part in the Claresholm Church of the Nazarene and helped along where needed. She remained a member of the Herbert Mennonite Conference Church to the end.

Since January 1958 she had been unable to work anymore and had been hospitalized from Feb. 15 until she was called to be with her Lord on March 20, 1958. She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers and three sisters. Left to mourn her departure are four sisters, Lena, Mrs. Friesen of Fort Macleod, Alta., Kate, Mrs. Bussia of Alcurve, Alta., Nettie of Willow Creek Hospital, Claresholm, Alta., and Sara, Mrs. Thiessen of Lethbridge, Alta.; two brothers, Frank of Herbert, Sask, and David of Glenn Kerr, Sask.

The following words are by her pastor, Rev. Olive Kilshan: “Martha took a very active part in every phase of the work in the Claresholm Church of the Nazarene. She played in the orchestra, sang in the choir and conducted the devotions every month at the Dorcas meeting. She led a beautiful, sincere Christian life and was a wonderful example of what the Grace of God can do in a person's life.”

Funeral services were held on March 22 at 2:30 at the Church of the Nazarene in Claresholm with Rev. Olive Kilshan officiating, after which the body was shipped to Herbert where another funeral service was held in the Herbert Mennonite Conference Church. Rev. John Nickel gave a sermon in German and Rev. Isaac Wiens in English. Interment took place at the Bethesda Cemetery near Neidpath. — The Ensz Family.