Hiebert, John N. C. (1904-1956)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Jul 26 p. 1

Birth date: 1904 Mar 5

WELL-KNOWN MENNONITE BRETHREN MISSIONARY AND EDUCATOR DIES

Reedley, Calif. — Rev. J. N. C. Hiebert, missionary and educator in the Mennonite Brethren Conference for many years, died here July 20. Funeral services and burial here were scheduled for Wednesday morning, July 25.

During his life he served as missionary to India and in later years in the educational program of the Mennonite Brethren Conference.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Aug 9 p. 8

text of obituary:

REV. JOHN N. C. HIEBERT

John N. C. Hiebert, our loving husband and father, son of Nicholas and Susie Hiebert, was born on March 5, 1904, in Mountain Lake, Minn. In this little town he spent his childhood days, receiving his elementary as well as high school training.

At the age of 12 he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour and was baptized upon his confession of faith and received into the Mennonite Brethren Church for fellowship. At the age of about 17 years, he had a crisis experience with Christ his Saviour out of which came a very strong call into the ministry and missionary work.

On August 9, 1927, he was united with Anna Jungas in holy matrimony. this union, which lasted 28 years, 11 months, and 11 days, was blessed with nine children, eight daughters and one son. One daughter, Helen, preceded father in death.

The Lord had endowed our father with a keen intellect. He was always eager to study, and received his training in Tabor College, St. Paul Institute of St. Paul, Minn., Nyack Missionary School of New York, University of Minnesota, University of Southern California, and Willamette University of Salem, Oregon.

Our father was ordained by Rev. J. H. Pankratz in 1929. In the same year we left for India as missionaries under the Mennonite Brethren Board of Foreign Missions. About 14 years of father's life were given to this work which was so close to his heart.

In 1952 we were called home by the Conference so that our father might assume the responsibility of being president of Tabor college. During his services in this capacity he suffered a nervous breakdown from which he never fully recovered.

Our father was exceptionally kind and loving to us as a family. In his very busy schedule, he was never too busy to be interested in our personal needs and our personal problems. Unselfishly he gave himself for the welfare of his family. The many periods of devotion and prayer that he had with us as a family will never be forgotten. Before his illness, he was a father to us in the fullest sense of the word, and his kind admonitions shall ever remain a guiding force in our lives.

His very active life came to a close on July 20, 1956, at the Kings View Home near Reedley, Calif., where he had been a patient for more than a year. He reached the age of 52 years, four months and 15 days.

Those who remain to mourn his departure are his wife, Mrs. Anna Hiebert of 3478 hedges Avenue, Fresno, Calif.; his children, Phyllis, Joan, Margaret and Lois, of the same address, Grace, Mrs. Ricardo Zapata of Edinburg, Texas, Paul of Enid, Okla., Betty, Mrs. Carl Dahl of Hillsboro, Kansas, Gwendolyn, Mrs. Edwin Willems of Topeka, Kansas; his aged parents, Rev. and Mrs. N. N. Hiebert of Hillsboro, Kansas; five brothers, Nick of New York State, Sam of New York State, Waldo of Hillsboro, Kansas, Lando of Hilsboro [sic Hillsboro], Kansas, and Alvin, Los Angeles; three sisters, Elma, Mrs. Harry Beier of Minneapolis, Minn., Anna, Mrs. Henry Schultz of Altadena, Calif., and Rosella, Mrs. Ben Friesen of Dallas, Oregon; four grandchildren and many other relatives and friends who mourn his departure. Two sisters and one brother preceded him in death.— The Bereaved Family.