Pankratz, Maria Janzen (1907-2000)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 2000 Sep 22 p. 28

Birth date: 1907 Mar 6

text of obituary:

MARIA PANKRATZ

Maria Pankratz of St. Catharines, Ont. passed away Aug. 5. She was born Mar. 6, 1907 to Dietrich and Maria Janzen in Schoental, Crimea, Russia. She accepted Christ at 14, was baptized June 22, 1921 and joined the Mennonite church in Lichtental. She married Peter Pankratz Feb. 22, 1933. Son Henry was born in 1934. In 1937 Peter was arrested and sent to a prison camp; he died in 1942 of kidney failure. Daughter Elizabeth (Betty) was born in 1938. With the threat of war, Maria sent Henry to her brother's for a week; she did not see him again until 1991. She was working for the Russian post office. When the war broke out, she, Betty and her sister Elizabeth Janzen left on the last train for Germany. They were housed in a refugee camp in Neustadt, Germany , then sent to Poland. An injury to her arm by a horse kick left it useless. She was washing clothes for soldiers , struggling to wring out the clothes by hand, when the cartilage in her elbow tore; when the pain subsided, she had the use of her arm again. In 1948 she and Betty immigrated to St. Catharines. She lived with her brother Henry 1 year. She cleaned Calvary Church, worked for Zellers in the stockroom and later was a housekeeper at the Hotel Dieu Hospital for 10 years. Her desire was to love God to the best of her ability in hard times and good times. Throughout her life, she became strong in character and faith. She lived her faith. She was respected for who she was and what she stood for. She was predeceased by 6 brothers and a sister. The funeral was Aug. 9 in Scott st. MB Church, with Albert Friesen and Waldo Pauls ministering.