Wiens, David Peter 1939-1974

Latest revision as of 15:02, 19 September 2023

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1974 Aug 22 p. 6

Birth date: 1939 Jan 27

text of obituary:

Fresno, Calif. — A two-vehicle collision at Prince George, British Columbia on Aug. 14 claimed the life of David P. Wiens, 35, a candidate who had been accepted for service in Uruguay by the Mennonite Brethren board of Missions and Services.

Mr. and Mrs. Wiens and four children ranging in age from five to 13 had planned to move to Fresno so he could study at the M. B. Biblical Seminary in preparation for his missionary assignment. The 10-year-old daughter, Debbie, was already in Fresno visiting relatives.

Mr. Wiens had resigned his position as principal of a school at Armstrong, B. C. He had been a teacher and principal for 15 years. He and a cousin, John Wiens, were instantly killed in the crash and another cousin, Jake Wiens, was injured. They were on the way to Dawson Creek, B. C. where David Wiens was to speak in the churches.

The Wiens family are members of the East Aldergrove M. B. Church in British Columbia.

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1974 Oct 18 p. 22

text of obituary:

David Peter Wiens was born January 27, 1939. to Peter and Anna Wiens, nee Lepp. H accepted Christ as his personal Saviour a age ten and was baptized at 16. He joined the East Aldergrove (B.C.) Mennonite Brethren Church.

After high school at the Mennonite Educational Institute, he attended the Mennonit Brethren Bible Institute in Clearbrook for year, and then went on to the University o British Columbia. He acquired his BA and BEd, and began teaching in Prince Rupert B.C.

He married Esther Mary Voth on August 22, 1959. They lived in the Prince Rupert area for eight years. After another year at UBC Dave returned to a principalship in that area for three more years. The last three years of his life were spent in Armstrong, B.C. where he was principal of the elementary school.

He was always very active in church activities, including serving as deacon, teaching, directing the choir and doing considerable lay preaching. He sang in a quartet, as well as in duets with his wife. He was also an active Gideon.

During the later years of his life he became more and more convinced of the futility of acquiring more of this world's goods, and more aware of the spiritual needs of people around him. This led him and his wife to apply to Mennonite Brethren Missions and Service They were appointed as candidates in February, 1974.

They sold their house and furniture and at the time of his death they were ready to leave for Fresno, California for a year of studies at the MB Biblical Seminary, before proceeding into language study and missionary work in Latin America. Dave went to be with the Lord, together with his cousin John Wiens, instantly through a traffic accident in Prince George B.C., in which his brother Jack was seriously injured. The accident occurred on August 14. He leaves to mourn his wife, Esther; one daughter, Debbie, 10; three sons, Timmy, 14, Stanley, 9 and Leslie, 5; his parents; Mr. and Mrs. P. N. Wiens of Clearbrook; three brothers: Jake of Toronto, John of Langley B.C. and Jack of Prince George, B.C.; two sisters: Mrs. Nettie;. Eytzen of Minnesota and Mrs. Mary Thiessen of Abbotsford; and many other relatives and friends.