Willems, George A. (1881-1976)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1976 Apr 02 p. 30

Birth date: 1881 Dec 07

text of obituary:

GEORGE A. WILLEMS

George A. Willems was born on December 7, 1881 in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, the son of Abram and Sarah Willems. He went to be with the Lord after a brief illness, in Shafter, California, on March 11.

With his parents, Mr. Willems moved to Brotherfield, Saskatchewan in 1899 to homestead. Here he accepted Christ as his Saviour, was baptized and joined the Brotherfield Mennonite Brethren Church. In his youth he was active in Sunday school teaching, youth leadership, and choir. In 1939 he was ordained by the Waldheim (Sask.) MB Church and assumed the leadership there.

He was married to Elisabeth Welk on June 16, 1904. The couple was blessed with three daughters and two sons. One son died in infancy. He was a farmer much of his life, and enjoyed it. A severe stroke in 1954 made him an invalid the rest of his life. However, he continued to teach Sunday school in Shafter, to which the family had moved in 1944, as long as health permitted.

He leaves to mourn his beloved wife, Elisabeth; one son, Arthur and his wife, Edna; three daughters, (Mrs.) Elisabeth Peters, (Mrs.) Ruby Neufeld, and (Mrs.) Rosalie Roberts, all of California; four brothers, John, Jacob, Isaac, and David, all of Saskatchewan; seven grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren.