Thiessen, Peter Stanley (1906-1970)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1970 July 24 p. 47

Birth date: 1906 Jul 03

text of obituary:

PETER STANLEY THIESSEN

Peter Stanley Thiessen went to be with the Lord on June 3, 1970. He passed away quietly in the Chilliwack General Hospital. He was born to Johann and Anna (nee Schellenberg) Thiessen on July 3, 1906 at Herbert Saskatchewan, where he spent his childhood and adolescent years, being brought up under Christian influence and the fear of the Lord. He completed his schooling in the Greenfarm public school and later attended the Herbert Bible School.

As a young man he realized his lost condition and his need of a Saviour. On January 10, 1922, through the ministry of the missionary P.V. Balzer, he gave his heart to his Lord Jesus Christ. A verse of scripture which the Lord gave him was Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." He was baptized and accepted into the fellowship of the Mennonite Brethren Church at Greenfarm on July 29, 1923.

On December 1, 1927 he was married to Kathryn Toews. Their union was blessed with five children, two boys and three girls.

From the time he made that all important experience with Christ, his aim was to serve his Master. At the early age of 19 he demonstrated his willingness to serve by assisting in the proclamation of the gospel in the lay ministry. In 1941 the family left Herbert and moved to Vancouver due to difficult circumstances in Saskatchewan resulting from the depression. Here he continued to participate in the preaching ministry as a layman. In 1944 they moved to Chilliwack, where in 1951, he was officially ordained as a minister of the gospel. The last twenty years of his life were spent as a rural mail man.

Although he was spared sickness most of his life, in July, 1969, he was stricken with malignant milo fibrosis. From this time on he was in and out of the hospital repeatedly, suffering from an indescribable tiredness until, on June 3, the Lord took his weary child home. He reached the age of 63 years and 11 months and was predeceased by both his parents, four brothers and one sister.

He leaves to mourn his beloved wife Kathryn; five children: Harry Thiessen of Winnipeg, John Thiessen of Chilliwack, B.C., Mrs. George (Viola) Rempel and Mrs. David (Ruth) Hall of Chilliwack, and Mrs. Terry (Marjorie) Brush of Burnaby, B.C.; 14 grandchildren; three brothers and one sister; and many relatives and friends.