Janzen, Anna Suderman (1869-1954)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1954 Apr 15 p. 6

Birth date: 1869

text of obituary:

. . .

— Funeral services for Mrs. Anna S. Janzen, 84, pioneer resident of the Newton community, were held Tuesday afternoon at the Sister Frieda Memorial Chapel and the First Mennonite church. The services were conducted by Rev. D. J. Unruh, Rev. J. E. Entz and Rev J. J. Voth. Mrs. Janzen died early Saturday, April 10, at the Bethel Home where she had lived for the past eight years. She was born in South Russia, and her marriage to Peter P. Janzen took place near Newton in 1899. He died in 1951. Surviving are two daughters and four sons; two brothers, H. E. Suderman of Newton and Solomon E. Suderman of New York City; 17 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1954 Apr 22 p. 9

text of obituary:

MRS. ANNA JANZEN

Anna Suderman Janzen was born Oct. 9, 1869, in the village of Gnadenfeld near Berdjansk, Ukraine, South Russia, and died in the Bethel Home for Aged, Newton, Kansas on April 10, 1954, attaining a ripe old age and useful life of 84 years, six months and one day.

At the age of 15, she emigrated to America with her parents, Herman W. and Elizabeth Ediger Suderman, three brothers and two sisters, settling in Newton, Kansas where she experienced many of the hardships of pioneer life. Both of her parents, one brother and two sisters preceded her in death.

Immediately upon settling in her new country, she began assisting her aunt, Mrs. William Quiring in Goldshar with household duties. Later she was employed by the Hildinger Dry Goods store in Newton. In 1895, she attended Bethel College where, in addition to secular education, she received religious training under the beloved professor, C. H. Wedel.

Upon her confession of faith in Christ as the Son of God and her personal Saviour, she was baptized on May 29, 1887, by the beloved Elder Jacob Toews and became a member of the First Mennonite church of Newton. He directed her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord with a verse found in Revelation 3:11, "Behold I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Among the many services to her Lord during those early years, she also showed her active faith when, in 1898, she served the Darlington Mission Station, Cantonment, Okla. (now Canton, Okla.).

On October 8, 1899, she took the vows of holy matrimony with Peter P. Janzen who resided north of Newton, taking the responsibilities of mother of two small boys, John and Henry. After 51 and one-half years of a happy and useful life together, he preceded her in death on May 23, 1951. This union was blessed with three sons and two daughters, one of whom died in infancy. At the time of her marriage, she transferred her church membership to the Alexanderwohl church and in 1908, they become charter members of the Tabor church where she served her Lord in teaching Sunday school for a number of years and was faithful in rearing her children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

For 27 years, she and her family lived on a farm about ten miles north of here. Upon her husband's retirement in August 1927, they moved to a new home at 319 South Pine Street in Newton. They then transferred their membership to the First Mennonite church of this city, of which she remained a faithful member until her death.

They resided in their Pine street home until April 1, 1946, at which time they made their last move to the Bethel Home for the Aged. She often expressed her appreciation and thankfulness for the consideration, the care and comfort which the Home provided for both her and her husband. She was especially grateful for the care that he received during his illness and passing during May of 1951.

She devoted her life to the service of her Lord, her family and community. During her husband’s declining years, she faithfully cared for him, especially during his last 14 years when he was totally blind, endeavoring to make those years as comfortable for him as possible.

With her passing goes one who inspired her family and friends by word and with example of clean Christian and virtuous living. With guidance received from faithful reading and studying of God’s Word, and through prayer, she has lived a long and useful Christian life, having fought a good fight and kept the faith to the end of her life. She often expressed her confidence in the promises of God who promised in His Word to lay up for her a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, should give her at that day. During her recent illness of the last four weeks and particularly before she lost her ability to speak, she repeatedly expressed her desire to be relieved of her earthly tabernacle and to go to that Home prepared for her and see Him face to face. Knowing her confidence and devotion to her Lord, our hearts and prayers accompany her as He calls her Home to dwell with Him eternally.

Surviving her are one daughter, Mrs. Marie Nath of Wichita; three sons, Herman S. of Newton, Daniel E. of Ada, Okla. and Walter S. of Fort Worth, Texas, one stepson, John M. of Hesston, and Susie Janzen of Newton, widow of Henry; two brothers, Herman E. Suderman of Newton and Solomon E. Suderman of New York City, five grandchildren and 12 step-grandchildren. — The Family.