Klassen, Agatha J. Hiebert (1907-1989)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1989 Mar 2 p. 8

Birth date: 1907 Jan 22

text of obituary:

NEWTON & VICINITY

. . .

● Agatha Hiebert Klassen, 82, an editor and writer, died Feb. 23 at Schowalter Villa, Hesston. Funeral services were held Feb. 27 at Bethel College Mennonite Church, North Newton. Richard Ratzlaff and Lois Barrett officiated. Burial was in Tabor Cemetery, rural Goessel. A native of Mt. Lake, Minn., she was active in Offender Ministries References Council, was author of Dear Aggie — Letters from Prison, and was editor of Missionary News and Notes. Survivors include three sons, Albert D. Klassen Jr. of Grand Forks, N.D., William H. of Lakewood, N.J., David of Kansas City, Mo.; one sister, Sarah Penner of Quincy, Mass.; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. her husband, Albert, preceded her in death in 1971.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1989 Mar 30 p. 11

Text of obituary:

AGATHA J. KLASSEN

Agatha "Aggie" J. Hiebert Klassen was born Jan. 22, 1907, in Mt. Lake, Minn., to Jacob D. and Anna Janzen Hiebert.

Growing up in a conservative and fatherless environment, she developed strong convictions, high moral values and experienced a deep and meaningful Christianity apparent throughout her adult life.

At Bethel College, North Newton, Kan., she met Albert D. Klassen of Goessel, Kan. They were married in July 1929. They lived in Goessel and attended Tabor Mennonite Church for three years before moving to Newton and attending Bethel College Mennonite Church. Her husband was employed by the U. S. Postal Service and retired in 1964. He died in 1971.

After her husband's death, she turned her life to serving her fellowman. As the oldest life member of Mennonite Voluntary Service and an M-2 sponsor, she visited and conducted interviews with adults in prison. That, along with her ideas on aging and loving, qualified her to accept speaking engagements across the country.

After being forced to slow down for health reasons, she devoted much of her time to her book, "Dear Aggie—Letters from Prison," published in 1981. She was also a past editor of "Missionary News and Notes."

In 1983, she entered Schowalter Villa in Hesston, where she resided until her death Feb. 23, 1989, at age 82. Funeral services were held Feb. 27, 1989, at Bethel College Mennonite Church, with Richard Ratzlaff and Lois Barrett officiating. Burial was in the Tabor Mennonite Church cemetery.

Survivors include three sons, Albert Jr. of Grand Forks, N. D., William of Lakewood, N. J., and David of Kansas City; a sister, Sara (Mrs. William) Penner of Boston, Mass.; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by two sisters, Ruth Hiebert Moyer and Helen Hiebert Mueller.