Jantzen, Matilda Mueller (1918-2017)

Mennonite World Review obituary: 2018 Jan 1 p. 15

Birth date: 1918 Apr 18

Text of obituary:

Matilda M. Jantzen

Matilda (Tille) Mueller Jantzen, 99, died Dec. 15, 2017, at Schowalter Villa, Hesston, Kan. She was born April 18, 1918, in Deer Creek, Okla.

She graduated from Dalhart (Texas) High School in 1935. She went on to Bible studies at Biola in Los Angeles, Calif., graduating in the spring of 1942.

She married Lubin Jantzen on Aug. 6, 1943, at Immanuel Mennonite Church in Los Angeles.

They both worked at Oklahoma Bible Academy in Meno. Feeling God's call to mission work, they went to India in April 1947 under the General Conference Mennonite Church. They experienced India's independence from the British Raj and the partition that led to the creation of modern India and Pakistan. For 35 years they served as missionaries in evangelism, then in leadership of mission schools at two mission stations. She was founder and principal of Beacon English School, a school for the children of industrial workers. They ended their many years in India on the staff at Union Biblical Seminary in Pune.

They relocated to Newton, Kan., where she clerked at Faith and Life Bookstore and supported Lubin in pastoring churches in Newton and the surrounding area. In 2004 they published their autobiography, Guided Lives: Memoirs of a Mennonite Mission Couple to India.

She loved to read and was an excellent cook and seamstress, keeping her children well-clothed through their school years in India. She had a creative imagination that showed in her pottery-making and home decorating, in solving problems in the wide variety of work she was called on to perform in India, and in maintaining a busy schedule of hosting friends, family and mission co-workers.

Survivors include a brother, Harold (Romy) Mueller of Modesto, Calif.; a daughter, Esther of Los Angeles; three sons, Dan (Betty) Jantzen of Arvada, Colo., Jim (Susan) Jantzen of Hillsboro and Jon (Mary Beth) Jantzen of Tucson, Ariz.; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lubin; three brothers, Alfred Mueller, Herbert Mueller and Edgar Mueller; and two sisters, Linda Kaufman and Olga Franey.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Jan. 6 at First Mennonite Church of Newton. Memorials may be directed to Mennonite Mission Network.

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Mennonite World Review obituary: 2018 Feb 12 p. 14

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Newton Kansan obituary: 2017 Dec 30

Text of obituary:

Matilda (Tillie) Mueller Jantzen, 99, died on Dec. 15, 2017, at Schowalter Villa, Hesston.

She was born April 18, 1918, in Deer Creek, Oklahoma. Tillie graduated from Dalhart (Texas) High School in May of 1935.

She went on to Bible studies at Biola University in Los Angeles, graduating in the spring of 1942.

She married Lubin Jantzen on Aug. 6, 1943, at Immanuel Mennonite Church in Los Angeles. Together, they both worked at Oklahoma Bible Academy in Meno, Oklahoma.

Feeling God's call to mission work, they went to India in April of 1947 under the auspices of the General Conference Mennonite Church.

They experienced India's independence from the British Raj and the partition that led to the creation of modern India and Pakistan.

For 35 years they served as missionaries, first in evangelism, then in leadership of mission schools at two mission stations.

Tillie was founder and principal of Beacon English School, a school for the children of industrial workers.

They ended their many years in India on the staff at Union Biblical Seminary, Pune.

After their years in India, they relocated to Newton, where Tillie clerked at Faith and Life Bookstore, and supported Lubin in pastoring churches in Newton and the surrounding area. In December of 1997, they moved from their Newton home to a duplex at Schowalter Villa.

In 2004, they published their joint autobiography "Guided Lives: Memoirs of a Mennonite Missionary Couple to India." In 2006, they found they needed more care and moved to Schowalter Villa's main building. Wherever they lived they were devoted to the growth and well-being of their church community.

Tillie had a large range of interests.

She loved to read and make things. She was an excellent seamstress, keeping her children well-clothed through their school years in India.

She had a creative imagination that showed in her pottery-making and home decorating, in solving organization problems in the wide variety of work she was called on to perform in India and in maintaining a busy schedule of hosting friends, family and mission co-workers.

Tillie was an excellent cook and loved to furnish a beautiful table.

She is survived by one brother, Harold (Romy) Mueller of Modesto, California; one daughter, Esther of Los Angeles; three sons: Dan (Betty) of Arvada, Colorado, Jim (Susan) of Hillsboro and Jon (Mary Beth) of Tucson, Arizona; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lubin; three brothers: Alfred Mueller, Herbert Mueller and Edgar Mueller; and two sisters, Linda Kaufman and Olga Franey.

There will be a private family burial.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a. m. Jan 6, 2018, at First Mennonite Church, Newton, followed by a meal at the church.

Memorials may be directed to Mennonite Mission Network, 718 N. Main St., Newton, KS 67114.