Willms, Marlene (1948-1965)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1965 Apr 22 p. 2

Birth date: 1948 Mar 23

text of obituary:

. . .

Two traffic accidents, 3,000 miles apart, took the lives of two Canadians early this month. At South Abbotsford, B. C. 17-year-old Marlene Willms died in an auto crash caused by a tire blowout. At St. Catharines, Ont., Frank J. Dueck, 68, was fatally injured on April 6 when his car was hit by a freight train. He had moved from Vineland to St. Catharines only two weeks before.

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Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1965 Apr 23 p. 18

text of obituary:

MARLENE WILLMS

Wednesday, April 14, on a warm, sunny, spring day, Marlene Willms was laid to rest in the church cemetery after a brief and inspiring funeral service at the South Abbotsford Church. The church was completely filled - a testimony to the fact that Marlene and the Willms family have many friends.

Marlene celebrated her seventeenth birthday just a short while ago, on March 23. She was born as the third child of Jake and Katie Willms. Even in her childhood, she showed that she was a very lively girl. She accepted the Lord as her Savior at home at an early age. She attended South Popular School for the first six years of her education, then spent much of the remainder of her school life at the MEI, Clearbrook. It was here that she confirmed her earlier conversion by coming forward at an evangelistic meeting. She was friendly and outgoing - almost exuberant - and made friends easily, even at the Abbotsford Senior High where she spent only the last few months of schooling. Her home life was very pleasant - she loved her family, and was loved of them. Marlene was generally willing to help out wherever she could. She enjoyed sports and participated whole-heartedly. Though she did not excel, she was glad to see her friends playing on a team and doing well. She particularly enjoyed singing in the Youth Choir at church.

On Sunday, April 11, while out for a pleasure drive with her girl friend, she died instantly as the result of injuries to the head received when the car she was riding in rolled over. She lived life to the full. God called her home. She leaves behind four brothers, three sisters and her parents - a wonderful family - and many other relatives.