Willems, Bernhard C. (1901-1972)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1972 Sep 21 p. 3

Birth date: 1901 Aug 17

text of obituary:

Fatally Hurt When Bicycle, Car Collide

Reedley, Calif. — Funeral services were held at the Reedley Mennonite Brethren Church on Sept. 9 for Rev. B. C. Willems, 71, who was fatally injured when the bicycle he was riding collided with a car at an intersection here. The accident occurred Aug. 30, and Rev. Willems died in a Fresno hospital.

A native of Inman, Kan., Rev. Willems was ordained to the ministry in 1936 at Ingalls, kan. He later served in the lay ministry at Corn, Okla. For the past 20 years he was a house painter here.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1972 Nov 9 p. 11

text of obituary:

BERNHARD C. WILLEMS

Bernhard C. Willems was born on Aug. 17, 1901, and Inman, Kan. to Gerhard D. and Sarah Willems. He died on Sept. 6, 1972 at the age of 71 as the result of an accident.

At the age of 15, father was saved and was baptized at the Zoar Church, Inman, Kan., on Aug. 12, 1917. A few years later he made a complete commitment of his life for the Lord's use.

While attending school at Zoar Academy, he met Anna Siemens and they were married on Nov. 5, 1922. Immediately after the wedding, application was made to enter Moody Bible Institute as a student. On Jan. 1, 1923, the young couple moved to Chicago for three years of training for fulltime Christian service.

The followed 14 years of farming at Ingalls, Kan. During this time, several semesters of training were taken at Tabor College, and he did some teaching at the Zoar Academy and Bible School. He also taught classes at the K.M.B Church at Garden City, Kan., and evening classes at the Ingalls M.B. Church. During all this time, he served as a lay minister at the Ingalls M.B. Church. He was ordained into the ministry of the Mennonite Brethren Church by his father-in-law, Rev. D. W. Siemens, and Rev. P. C. Hiebert.

During the spring of 1931 a daughter, Evalina Ruth, was born, but the Lord took her Home in February of 1942 at Inola, Okla.

Due to a breakdown of father's health, teaching was discontinued and farming became his occupation. In June 1936, after the resignation of Grandfather Siemens as pastor of the church at Ingalls, Kan., father was called to the pastorate of that church. This responsibility, plus farming for a living under conditions of ill health, was difficult. The crop failures of the dust bowl years made conditions even more difficult.

After three and one-half years at Ingalls, a move was made to Inola, Okla. where farming was again begun and father again served as a lay minister. After several years a call was answered to the pastorate of the M. B. Church at Hooker, Okla. In 1945, he became pastor at Paxton, Neb.

In the winter of 1950 the family moved to Reedley, Calif. so the children could attend Immanuel Academy. Father earned his living as a painter while also serving the Lord in many ways.

Father loved the ministry of music. During his years in western Kansas he sang with a men's quartet from the Ingalls church. In Reedley he was a member of the Ambassador Octet.

These last 22 years spent at Reedley were some of the most joyful and fruitful years of his life. Father soon became involved as a lay minister in the Reedley M. B. Church. He was especially active in outreach, ministering in home missions churches in Orosi, Parlier, Orange Cove, and Navelencia. The last decade of his life was devoted to ministry in the prison camps in central California. Survivors include his wife of Reedley; sons Jonathan of Long Beach, Norman of Ithaca, N. Y., and Nathan of Dinuba; a daughter, Kathleen Heinrichs of Reedley; five granddaughters; brothers and sisters, Kathryn Ratzlaff, George C. Willems, John B. Willems, and Ann Isaac, all of Reedley; Margaret Thiessen, Mary Willems, and Esther Willems, all of Inman, Kan.; Sarah Schmidt and Pete B. Willems, both of Hillsboro, Kan.; Eva Classen of Wichita, Kan.; Helen Willems of Springfield, Mo.; and Martha Klema of Kenosha, Wis.

Memorial services were held on Sept. 9, 1972 in the Reedley M. B. Church. — The Family.