Van der Smissen, T. Alvin (1897-1974)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1974 Jan 24 p. 2

Birth date: 1897

text of obituary:

Death Claims Retired General Conf. Pastor

Rev. T. A. van der Smissen, 76, retired pastor and teacher of North Newton, died Monday night at the Mercy Hospital Extended Care wing, Moundridge.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a. m. Friday in the Bethel College Mennonite Church, with Rev. Esko Loewen and Rev. John Esau officiating.

Rev. van der Smissen's first pastorate was at the Hutchinson Mission in 1925-26. From 1937 to 1964 he served three pastorates in the General Conference Mennonite Church, as follows: Hebron Church near Buhler, nine and a half years; Bethesda Church near Marion, S. D., 16 years; and Eicher Emmanuel Church, Wayland, Ia., one and a half years. During World War II he spent one year as a pastor in CPS camps.

In earlier years he taught in a number of Kansas high schools.

He left the Wayland pastorate in 1964 after suffering a heart attack and moved to North Newton. Between 1966 and 1970 he was interim pastor successively of the Hoffnungsau Church near Inman, of Inman Mennonite, Bethel Church near Inman, and First Mennonite of Burns. He had been in failing health since suffering a stroke in 1970.

A native of Summerfield, Ill., he received the A. B. degree from Bethel College and took advanced work at Kansas Teachers College, Colorado University, and Witmarsum Seminary from which he graduated in 1927, also receiving the A. M. degree from Bluffton College.

Survivors include his wife, the former Margaret Dirks; a son, Eugene, of LaMarque, Tex.; a daughter, Betty, of State College, Pa.; two grandchildren; five sisters, Mrs. C. D. Voran of Augusta, Mrs. Frieda Andreas of North Newton, Mrs. Elsie Clemmer of Fort Wayne, Ind., Mrs. Ruth Johnson of Huntington, Ind., and Mrs. Edna Cowsert of Junction, Tex.; and one brother, Roland, of Highland Springs, Va.

The Mennonite obituary: 1974 Mar 5 p. 162