Janzen, Justina Epp (1861-1943)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1943 Jul 22 p. 5

Birth date: 1861 Dec 2

text of obituary:

Correspondence

MOUNTAIN LAKE, MINNESOTA

July 16, 1943.

. . .

Mrs. John J. Janzen, mother of our undertaker P. A. Janzen, died at her home Saturday morning, July 10. Her funeral took place on Tuesday early in the afternoon at Bethel church. She reached the age of 76 years and was suffering of a weak heart. At 4 o’ clock that same afternoon the marriage of Miss Viola J. Ratzlaff and Cpl. Geo. Vaux of Duluth took place at Bethel. Rev. Erland Waltner officiated at both services.

On the following day, Wednesday, the funeral of Mrs. Frank Janzen took place at the First Mennonite Church. She was taken to the Bethel Hospital shortly before her death. The deceased reach the ripe age of 81 years. Rev. I. J. Dick and Missionary John H. Voth spoke at the funeral.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1943 Aug 19 p. 3

text of obituary:

MRS. JUSTINA JANZEN

Mrs. Justina F. H. Janzen, 81 years 7 months and 9 days, having been ill ill [sic] with heart trouble the last 8 years, suffered a stroke Friday noon, July 19, and was taken to the Bethel Hospital where she suffered until she passed away at 5:50 A. M. the following Sunday morning.

A daughter of Peter Epp and Anna Janzen Epp, she was born Dec. 2, 1861, in Petershagen, Russia. She lost her mother and little brother when she was one and one-half years old. But her father married again and she was brought up by a step-mother.

She enjoyed the little schooling she had but being the oldest of a large family of 21 children she stopped early eo help with the work at home.

At the age of 14 years and 66 months she came to America with the parents and he [sic] rest of the family in July, 1876. The family at first made their home in Minnesota. in the spring of 1881, on the day of Pentecost, she was baptized by Rev. G. Neufeld.

She married Frank H. Janzen on Dec. 28, 1882. Their first house was about three miles northwest of Bingham Lake. Later they moved to Mountain Lake, living first on a farm on the west edge of town, later building up a new place three miles south of town where they lived until her husband's death in 1907. She then moved to town where she lived the rest of her life with the exception of the last four years, when she stayed stayed [sic] with Mr. and Mrs. Abram P. Klassen. One son Henry preceded here in death two years ago.

Six children, Mary (Mrs. John B. Harder), Anna (Mrs. J. J. Harder), Peter, Elizabeth (Mrs. Abram P. Klassen), Justina (Mrs. A. W. Tenhoff), Frank and 4 sons-in-law and 3 daughters-in-law are left to mourn her death. 32 grandchildren, 8 having passed on before and 10 great-grandchildren and other relatives and friends survive her death. Of her sisters and brothers still living are Mrs. Heppner, Mrs. Cornelius Jansen of California, Mrs. John H. Voth of India, Peter George and Cornelius. Two sisters-in-law, Mrs. A. J. Klassen, Newton, Kans., and Mrs. Wm. Bestvater of California are still living.

As she once remarked, she was not a person of many words; though not talking a great deal about her religion she nevertheless prayed much for her family in secret.

Almost her last words before she could talk no more were that she would meet her children again in the Great Beyond.

Spending much time with her Bible, she also enjoyed other good literature.

She was therefore well informed on many subjects and could give her children much good advice and counsel.

Music also gave her great pleasure and we remember how in her early years she went singing about her work stopping only to answer the children's questions and then continuing her song.

Since in these later years she was not well enough to go to church she had enjoyment in listening to the German sermons over the radio. She often told her children that her 81st birthday would be her last, for after her husband died she had a dream that she would live to be 81 years old. At the time it made her sad and she wept to think that she would live so much longer without father.

Last Christmas she said, "This will be my last Christmas with you." And so her dream came true and on July 14, the day father died was her funeral day.

To us her children, our only consolation in losing our dear mother is the truth in the following passage

"Death's not the end —
Neath the cold black sod
'Tis the inn by the road
On our way to God."

— The Children.