Janzen, David Kornelius (1890-1965)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary:1966 Jan 14 p. 18

Birth date: 1890 Dec 21

text of obituary:

REV. DAVID K. JANZEN

David Kornelius Janzen was born in the beautiful village of Rosenort, Molotschna, South Russia on December 21, 1890 the third of 14 children born to Kornelius and Anna Janzen. His earlier years were spent at Rosenort and Rueckenau, where his parents moved in 1908. As a youth he gave six years to the Russian forestry service and the Red Cross.

1n 1918 he was married to Tina Reimer with whom he shared four years until her death in 1922. To the marriage were born three children. In 1923 the Lord led him together with Tina Dueck and blessed the family with seven additional children. The eldest child of the second marriage passed away at three years.

In 1926 the family moved to Canada settling on a farm shared with his father at Fortier, Manitoba. After years of struggle he moved to a farm at Chilliwack, B.C., and on retirement moved to Clearbrook.

After a relatively short period of illness he went to his reward on November 26, 1965. He is mourned by his wife; five sons and four daughters, Elizabeth in Winnipeg, Henry in Oshawa, Amne and John in Chilliwack, Victor in Nanaimo, Heilmut in Clearbrook, Martha in California, David in North Vancouver and Mary in Vancouver. He also leaves 28 grandchildren, two brothers and two sisters.

In preparation for his service in the ministry he attended the Central School at Orloff and the Bible School at Tschongrau. He dedicated his life to God at the age of 21 and the following year was baptized and became a member of the Mennonite Brethren Church. He was ordained to the ministry at Rueckenau in 1924. At various time he served as evangelist, choir director, church board member and Bible teacher and was active to his end in the work of the Kingdom. Throughout his years in the ministry he maintained a deep conviction of the authority of the Word of God as a basis for his faith and actions.