Petkau,Mary Klassen (1928-1999)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 2000 Mar 17 p.27

Birth date: Feb 16, 1928

text of obituary:

MARY PETKAU

Mary Petkau passed away Nov. 24, of cancer, in Simcoe, Ont. She was born Feb. 16, 1928 to Jacob and Helena Klassen in Holmfield, Man. The family made several moves in Manitoba. When she was 7, they moved to Leamington, Ont., and when she was 11 to Port Rowan, Ont. In her teens, she accepted Christ. She was later baptized and joined Port Rowan MB Church. She attended 1 year each at Eden and Winkler Bible Schools. She then worked in Kitchener, Ont., where she met Abe Petkau. They married May 22, 1949 in Port Rowan. They lived in St. Catharines, Ont., then Port Rowan. She supported Abe in building their trucking business. In 1990 they moved to Simcoe, where they joined Evergreen Heights Christian Fellowship. Her involvement with her family, church and community was an outward expression of the woman she was becoming through the challenges and testings God brought into her life. Throughout her struggle with cancer, her desire was to glorify the Lord. She made it her prayer each day to encourage and minister to whoever walked through her door. Predeceased by 3 brothers, she is mourned by Abe; children Wayne of Winkler, Man., Carol Hiebert of Simcoe, Brenda of Chatham, Ont., Lynn Andres of Virgil, Ont. and Gayle Gill of Brampton, Ont.; 10 grandchildren; sisters and brothers. The funeral was Nov. 27 in Emmanuel Bible Church, Simcoe, with Richard Martens ministering.