Lepp, Jacob (1873-1968)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1968 Oct 3 p. 7

Birth date: 1873 Oct 07

text of obituary:

REV. JACOB LEPP

A senior minister of the Brethren Church fell asleep in the Lord on September 11, 1968, in Saskatoon, Jacob Lepp was born in the village of Kleefeld, South Russia on October 7, 1873, the son of John and Susanna (nee Thiessen) Lepp. When he was four the family moved to the United States and settled near Mountain Lake, Minn. Those were difficult years for the Mennonite immigrants, travel was slow and farming primitive, and Jacob Lepp's schooling concluded when he was 14 years and consisted of only 16 months.

At the age of 17 he was converted and eight months later he was baptized upon his confession of faith and received into the Mennonite Brethren Church. As a young man, he accepted the invitation of neighbours to become a private school teacher to their children. He did this for three years. For most of his life he was a farmer.

He was married three times, first to Helena Wiens, who died after four and a half years of marriage from tuberculosis. Three children were born of this union of which one died in infancy. A second marriage, to Maria Sperling, was blessed with eight children of which four survived infancy. After 12 years this marriage partner was also taken away by death. In 1913 he married a third time, to Katharina Klassen, who survives him, a marriage that God blessed with 11 children, three of whom died in infancy.

As a young married man, Jacob Lepp moved to Dalmeny, Sask. with his family. Here he was chosen to assist in the ministry, ordained in 1905, and chosen to the leadership of the church in 1907. For 34 years he led the Dalmeny Church in the pastoral ministry. Though he retired from active farm life in 1947, he continued to enjoy good physical health and his love for Bible reading, Sunday school and the church remained strong. Family and friends loved to bask in his godly counsel and insight.

Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Katharina; seven sons, Cornelius J. Jacob M., Ernest, David L. and Waldo of Dalmeny, Menno of Gouldtown, Sask., Albert of Reedley, Calif.; seven daughters, Mrs. John E. (Helena) Quiring of Saskatoon, Mrs. John P. (Mary) Unger of Cultus Lake, B.C., Mrs. G. W. (Susie) Peters of Dallas, Tex., Emma of Fresno, Calif., Mrs. Henry P. (Amanada) Poetker of Chicago, Alma of Waldheim, Sask., and Mrs. Henry (Ruth) Bartsch of Dalmeny.