Sawatsky, Abram J. (1918-1966)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1966 Sep 09 p. 18

Birth date: 1918 Jun 20

text of obituary:

ABRAM J. SAWATSKY

The obituary of Rev. A. J. Sawatsky which follows was largely written by himself in May of this year while he was a patient in the St. John's Hospital at Huron, South Dakota.

I, Abram J. Sawatsky, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jacob J. Sawatsky in Arkadake, Russia on June 20, 1918. Our family immigrated to Canada in 1926 and set up residency in Borden, Sask. Nine months later we moved to Richard, Saskatchewan, where I received my elementary training.

At the age of ten I accepted Christ at my mother's knee. My father fell seriously ill in 1934 and I then had to take on most of the farming responsibilities. After Father's death in 1936 Mother disposed of the property and we settled in Yarrow, B.C. where I attended the Bethel Bible Institute. During this time I heeded the call of God to enter the ministry.

On June 4, 1944, after graduating from Bible school I was united in marriage to Leona Esther Warkentin. God blessed us with seven children. I continued my education at the Mennonite Brethren Bible College in Winnipeg. In 1948 my wife and I responded to God's summoning and accepted the ministerial duties at the County Line Church in B.C. In 1950 we were called to Saskatoon where we initiated the organization of the West Portal Church. In August of 1956 we were invited to take over the pastoral responsibilities in the Kelowna (B.C.) Church which we did until 1962. The Lord rewarded us with many blessed victories during our tenure there. We left Canada in 1962 for Huron, South Dakota where we were privileged to minister in the Bethesda Church. I especially enjoyed the Christian spirit of harmony with the brethren of the Central District. In April of this year we responded to the request to serve at Lustre, Montana. (This was never fulfilled. )

A physician at Kelowna detected leukemia in the spring of 1962 which required specific therapy. My response to the treatment was most gratifying and I was again able to continue in the Lord's service. God gave me almost four additional years of service. (End of own writing)

In late May of this year, Rev. Sawatsky was transferred to Vancouver where his family followed him. Early Friday morning, August 5, he slipped out of this life to his higher calling. He was 48 years old at the time. He is survived by his wife, Leona; four sons, Kenneth (and his wife Sheryl and grandson Jeremy Dean) of Dinuba, Calif., Daniel, David and Ronald, all at home; three daughters, Marlene, Sharon and Dorothy, at home; a brother, Jacob in Russia; three sisters, Helen (Mrs. John H. Block) of Vancouver, Mary (Mrs. Jacob A. Dyck) of Vancouver, and Anna (Mrs. Henry Janzen) of Loon Lake, Sask. His parents and two brothers, Peter and Frank, preceeded him in death. Rev. Sawatsky derived greatest satisfaction from the singing and the preaching of the gospel. His favourite solo was Until Then and his most frequently quoted passage was "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die ... " John 11:25, 26.