Wiebe, Jacob J. (1887-1960)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1960 Dec 8 p. 3

Birth date: 1887 Jul 5

text of obituary:

Retired M. B. Minister Dies in California

REV. J. J. WIEBE, 73, FORMERLY SERVED IN SOUTHERN DISTRICT CONF.

Reedley, Calif. — Funeral services for Rev. J. J. Wiebe, 73, retired Mennonite Brethren minister and a resident here for the past 15 years, were held Nov. 30, at the Reedley M. B. church. Rev. Dan Friesen, Rev. H. R. Wiens and Dr. P. R. Lange officiated.

Rev. Wiebe died unexpectedly Nov. 27 while attending a harvest festival service at the Shafer M. B. Church.

A native of Bingham Lake, Minn., he was a public school and Bible school teacher for 13 years and evangelist for three years before taking up pastoral work. At one time he served the large M. B. congregation at Corn, Okla. and was active in the Southern District M. B. conference.

Surviving are his wife, Minnie; a son Arthur of Belmont, Calif.; a daughter, Mrs. Lydia Reimer of Reedley; two sisters, Mrs. Anna Ewert of Mt. Lake, Minn. and Mrs. Susie Hiebert of Hillsboro, Kan; and six grandchildren;

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1960 Dec 8 p. 8

text of obituary:

REV. JACOB J. WIEBE

Jacob J. Wiebe, son of John and Maria Balzer Wiebe, was born July 5, 1887, near Bingham Lake, Minn. Here he spent his childhood days on the farm. On Feb. 21, 1898, he found peace and forgiveness in the Blood of the Lamb. He was baptized in the same year by Elder Heinrich Voth and united with the Mennonite Brethren church.

During the years 1906 to 1908, he taught in the elementary schools of Minnesota. From 1908 to 1910, he continued his preparatory school work in Mountain Lake, and the following three years attended Northwestern Bible Schools in Minneapolis.

On May 25, 1913, he married Minnie Wall at Munich, N. D. The ceremony was performed by Rev. John Gunther. This union was blessed with two children, one daughter and one son.

From 1914 to 1916, he taught school in North Dakota, and from there the family moved to Littlefield, Texas. Here he farmed and was active in the Mennonite Brethren church. During this time he entered the work of evangelism and on Jan. 5, 1920, he was ordained by Elder H. H. Flaming.

In 1921, the family moved to Corn, Okla., where he taught in the Corn Bible School and Academy and did evangelistic work in the summer months. He served in this capacity till 1926, when he was called to serve as pastor of the Mennonite Brethren church of Corn. He served faithfully in this capacity for the next 17 years. In 1944 and 1945 Rev. and Mrs. Wiebe served as missionaries at Postoak Mission near Indiahoma, Okla. In 1945 they moved to California, where he served as pastor in the Shafter Mennonite Brethren church during 1946 and 1947. In 1948, they moved into their new home in Reedley, Calif., where they spent the rest of their days together.

He was very active in many conference activities, serving for 17 years on the M. B. General Conference Foreign Mission Board and also a number of years on the Committee of Reference and Counsel. During the last years of his retirement he served several years as assistant to the pastor of the Dinuba Mennonite Brethren church.

He rejoiced to the very last in the fellowship of the saints of God and helped along in the work of the Mennonite Brethren church of Reedley. He was an active delegate to the Centennial Conference and served in the church council and assisted at the mid-week prayer services.

Sunday morning Nov. 27, 1960 he rejoiced greatly to share in the Mission Festival at the Shafter M. B. church. During the noon hour that day he began to feel ill and died soon afterward. He reached the age of 73 years, four months, and 22 days.

Those who mourn especially are his wife, Mrs. Minnie Wiebe of Reedley, Calif., his daughter, Lydia, and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Nick Reimer of Reedley; his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Wiebe of Belmont, Calif., six grandchildren, two sisters, Mrs. N. N. Hiebert, Hillsboro, Kan., and Mrs. Anna Ewert, Mountain Lake, Minn., and many other relatives and friends.

The memorial service was held in the Reedley Mennonite Brethren church, Wednesday, Nov. 30, with Rev. Dan Friesen, Rev. H. R. Wiens, and Dr. P. R. Lange, officiating. — The Family.