Klassen, Gerhard Jacob (1885-1966)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1966 Apr 15 p. 18

Birth date: 1885 Feb 20

text of obituary:

GERHARD JACOB KLASSEN

On February 22, 1966, at the Morden District Hospital, Rev. Gerhard Jacob Klassen, aged 81 years, widower and resident of Manitou, Manitoba. Funeral services were held Friday, February 25, at 2:00 p.m. in the Portage Avenue Mennonite Brethren Church, Portage and Raglan Rd., Winnipeg, with Rev. H. R. Baerg officiating, assisted by Rev. A. Froese of Boissevain and Rev. H. Willms of Brandon. Pallbearers were six grandsons, and interment was in the Glen Eden Memorial Gardens.

Born in Russia in 1885, Rev. Klassen came to Canada in 1924 and homesteaded in the Manitou district. He served the Manitou Mennonite Brethren Church as pastor from 1928 to 1951. In 1951 he moved to Winnipeg and served in the ministry of the Southend Church until 1960 when he retired back to Manitou. He was ordained to the ministry in 1931.

He is survived by two daughters, Mrs. P. Penner (Tina) of Morden and Mrs. A. Fast (Sara) of Manitou; five sons Jacob and George of Manitou, David and John of Winnipeg, Peter of Brandon; one sister, Mrs. Helena Bergen of Winnipeg; two brothers, William of Winkler and Johann of B.C., 34 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren.