Willems, Peter D. (Mrs.) Ens (1884-1965)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1965 Nov 11 p. 5

Birth date: 1884 Oct 4

text of obituary:

. . .

• Mrs. P. D. Willems, 81, mother of two Mennonite Brethren missionaries in the Congo, died Tuesday at her home near Hillsboro. Death was caused by a heart condition. The funeral service will be Friday, Nov.12, at 2 p.m. in the Hillsboro M. B. Church of which she was a member. Her daughter Kathryn is engaged in the production of Christian literature in the Congo, and Martha Willems is in secondary education work there. Other surviving children are Anna, Arnold and Marie, of the home, and Lydia, who teaches at Anthony, Kan.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1965 Dec 23 p. 8

text of obituary:

MRS. P. D. WILLEMS

Mrs. Peter D. Willems, daughter of Franz and Maria Reimer Ens, was born near Janzen, Nebr. on Oct. 4, 1884. She attended elementary school in this community and lived here until her parents moved to a farm near Inman, Kan. It was here that she felt the need of salvation from sin and after confession of faith and baptism was received into the membership of the Zoar Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Church on Oct. 25, 1903. As the oldest of the children in her family, she accepted much of the responsibility of the parental home upon the death of her mother.

On Sept. 1, 1909 she was married to Peter D. Willems and together they began a life of companionship that lasted for almost 50 years and was filled with the blessings of a merciful God. They began farming in the Buhler-Inman area but moved to Corn, Okla. in 1922 where they were engaged in farming until they moved to the Hillsboro, Kan. community in 1947. It was at this time that our parents became members of the Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church.

Physically our mother was never too strong and had been spared through several very serious illnesses. The Lord was merciful in allowing her to remain active, however, until the time of her passing. She was hospitalized for a brief time several weeks ago but had been able to return to the home she loved and the family who loved her. Very suddenly on Monday night she became seriously ill and shortly after midnight, Nov. 9, 1965, she passed away and went to be with the Lord. She reached the age of 81 years and 35 days.

We will always remember our mother as one who worked hard physically so we could be assured of a Christian education. Always concerned about both our physical and spiritual welfare, she denied herself many pleasures so that we would be able to attend Bible school. One of her greatest joys was to know that our family was represened [sic] on the mission fields abroad through the lives of our two sisters, Kathryn and Martha. She was generally quiet and reserved by nature but never hesitated to speak with others about their spiritual life and walk.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband, one infant son, and three brothers and three sisters. Surviving are six children, Kathryn, now serving in Leopoldville, Congo, Anna, Marie, and Arnold at Hillsboro, Martha, now serving in Kikwit, Congo, and Lydia of Anthony, Kansas; three sister and four brothers, Mrs. A. C.. Ediger of Reedley, Calif., Mrs. Henry Barkman of Dinuba, Calif., Mrs. Jay Woods of Paso Robles, Calif.; Jacob Ens of Steinbach, Manitoba, and Frank Abe, and John Ens, all of Dinuba, Calif.