Falk, William (1904-1969)

Revision as of 10:50, 15 September 2022

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1969 Jun 5 p. 7

Birth date: 1904 Apr 30

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1969 Jun 13 p. 24

text of obituary:

On May 14, 1969, at his residence at 14 Rossmere Crescent, Winnipeg after a prolonged illness, William Falk, beloved husband of Helen Falk, was relieved of his suffering to be forever with the Lord. The funeral service was held Saturday, May 17, 1969 at the North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church with Rev. Wm. Neufeld, Rev. V. Toews and Rev. Frank Friesen officiating.

William Falk was born in the village of Steinfeld in the Old Colony settlement in Russia on April 30, 1904. In February 1924 he married Helen Guenther and immediately emigrated to Canada. Their union was blessed with four children: Mrs. Jack (Mary) Flatt of Winnipeg, David of Goshen, Indiana, Mrs. Herbert (Erna) Buller and Herbert of Winnipeg, all of whom survive him.

In 1927 he came to fully dedicate and commit his life to Jesus Christ. In a small rural fellowship group, upon the urging of others, he ventured forth with his first sermon. Some time following this he enrolled at the Winnipeg Bible Institute.

He was called by the Mennonite Brethren Church to work in Winnipeg as city missionary, in which capacity he served for almost 17 years. In 1953 he became pastor of the North Kildonan Church where he served until 1965 when he moved to Morden to assume leadership duties of the congregation there.

In 1967 he was stricken by cancer and in the two years which followed, there was an increase of suffering to a point indescribable in its ferocity. His own response to such trials was gratefulness for the 63 years which he had lived free of any illness and in full possession of his physical powers.

The aid from his fellow-Christians in helping him and his family to bear up under the terrible strain of his gradual decline, he spoke of with deep-felt gratitude.

He prayed that his life, and the end of his life, suffering and death would somehow bring honor to the name of God. In writing down some of his thoughts, the last he could write, he ended with: "Ich bete aber, und meine Familie mit mir, dass auch mein physisches Leiden machte Gottes Name Ehre machen. Das wallte Gott. Auf jeden Fall sagen wir: 'Es hat gut, bis hierher gut gegangen, Herrlich stritt Jehova Zehaoth. Darf uns wohl mit solchem Fuhrer bangen? Unter seiner Hand gibt's keine Not.