Krahn, Maria Klassen (1892-1990)

"Mennonite Brethren Herald" obituary: 1990 Dec 7 p. 28

Birth date: 1892

text of obituary:

MARIA KRAHN

Maria Krahn of Clearbrook, B.C. passed away Oct. 15. She was born Oct. 4, 1892 to Mr. and Mrs . Isaac A. Klassen of Neuhorst, Old Colony. One night, at age 16, she became anxious about her spiritual state and her father pointed her to the Lord through Matt. 11:28 and Is. 42:3. In the 5 years after 1918, she was twice widowed, lost both parents and barely escaped with children Frank and Tina to the nearby village of Neuendorf. Here she met Heinrich Krahn; they married in Friedensfeld in summer, 1919. Three years lat er they immigrated to Hochfeld, Sask. Grasshoppers, drought and crop failures made life difficult. They moved to Glenbush, Sask. In October, 1937 they moved to B.C. They worked on a dairy farm, then a dairy an d berry farm. They helped package food and clothes for European refugees. Between 1948 and 1950 they welcomed 25 relatives from Europe and helped them find homes. They accepted a cousin, Lena Klassen, as a daughter. When her children married, she accepted her in-laws as her own children. They ministered as deacons in the Abbotsford (now Central Heights) and South Abbotsford MB Churches. With a tender heart and loving hands, she ministered to sprained limbs, people with handicaps and hurts, missionaries and other Christian workers. After her husband died, Liese Penner came to live with her. They later moved to Evergreen Village, then Tabor Home. She is remembered as a genuinely good and sensitive person who left a legacy of love, faith and prayer. Predeceased by her husband and sons Frank and Henry, she is mourned by her children Tina Friesen of Clearbrook, Agnes Falk, Mary Schmidt of New Westminster, B.C., Lydia Dyck of Ste-Therese, Que., John of Clearbrook and Jacob of West Vancouver; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. The funeral was Oct. 19, with Jacob Pauls ministering.