In Loving Memory

Lena Block (May 11, 1927 - December 25, 2019) Lena (Janzen) Block, born 11 May, 1927 in Rosser, Manitoba, was a woman of faith and prayer, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, an accomplished homemaker, and above all an encourager and supporter of those around her.

Lena’s father, Jacob Janzen, left Russia with his parents and came to Canada in 1925, followed by her mother, Helena Ploenert, in the spring of 1926. Lena’s parents married shortly after Helena’s arrival in Canada on June 14, 1926.

Lena moved with her parents and two younger siblings to British Columbia in 1932. Her family settled on a farm in the Fraser Valley, near the Vedder River, three miles from the small village of Yarrow. By 1948, the Janzen family had grown to ten children: eight girls and two boys.

Faith and prayer were foundations of Lena’s life. At age 11 she accepted Jesus Christ into her heart, and was baptized into the Yarrow MB Church at age 15. She quoted Psalm 107:1 in her personal testimony: "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for his loving kindness is everlasting."

Lena became engaged to Jacob (Jack) Block in the summer of 1947, and the couple married on 27 September, 1947 in the Yarrow Mennonite Brethren Church. Their first child, Judith, was born in 1948, followed by Jim in 1953, and Marjorie in 1955.

Thankfulness and loving kindness sustained Lena as a young wife and mother in supporting her husband and children through many new situations. She unfailingly cared for the family while Jack completed his degree at the University of British Columbia. As Jack’s career carried the family t o new homes in Edmonton and Ponoka in Alberta, to Vancouver Island and later to the lower mainland, Lena was the bedrock of her family’s domestic life, devoting herself wholeheartedly to the care of her beloved husband and children.

Alongside her steadfast commitment to her faith and family, she admirably modeled life-long adult learning. After completing her high school credits at night school in the 1960s, she earned a BA from Simon Fraser University in 1979. The whole family benefited from the skills she developed as a seamstress, painter and photographer, as well as her enthusiastic use of computer technologies.

Lena and Jack worshipped in a number of Mennonite Brethren churches including Fraserview, Willingdon, South Langley, and most recently Bakerview. Lena loved Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no one should boast". This verse captures the generous and humble spirit with which she served her extended family and church community, whether by singing in the church choir, visiting those in hospital, participating in children’s ministries, or volunteering at the Clearbrook Mennonite Central Committee. She gave faithfully of her time and energy over many years until illness made it difficult for her to continue.

The love of Lena’s life was her husband Jack. Along with Jack, she won the hearts of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, building relationships through many trips and activities. Weekends and holidays found the family enjoying sun, water and sand at Skaha Lake or Osoyoos, snow skiing at Manning Park, or cruising in Alaska for Jack and Lena’s 50th anniversary. Many such recreational and camping adventures were shared with other families. Although snow and water ski sports were not her favourite pastimes, she always supported the family, going so far as to learning to snow ski at age 40. Everyone around her loved her for her kind, generous, and caring spirit.

Lena lived a life anchored in her faith and in her family. She often quoted John 20:31: “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing, you may have life in His name.” She was thankful to the end for God’s many precious promises which in her words "provided assurance of His love and care for us, comfort, and hope for the future."

These promises are a wonderful legacy she has given to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family is grateful for the many comments, cards, emails, and telephone calls testifying to all the ways that Lena’s support, love and inspiration have touched us all.

Lena passed peacefully on December 25, with some of her children and grandchildren surrounding her. The memorial service will be held on January 6, 2020, 1:00 at Bakerview MB Church.

Lena will be deeply missed by her daughter Judith and Harold Dueck; granddaughter Jennifer Dueck and Bill Cronon and her son Noah; grandson Adrian and Patricia Dueck and their children Landen, Jacob, and Sarah; her son James and Evelyn Block; granddaughter Alissa and Kamil Chojnacki and their children Hudson and Emmalena; grandson Jefferson and Sara Block and their children Jack, Lia and Grey; grandson David and Carmen Block and their daughter Sophie; her daughter Marjorie and Russell Speiser; granddaughter Julie Wiebe; grandson Brent and Samantha Wiebe and their daughters Alaina and Zoey; her siblings Erwin Janzen, Esther Langhofer, Lenora (Mikki) Kirk and their families, along with many friends and relatives.

She was predeceased by her husband, Jack Block, her siblings Henry Janzen, Katherine Giesbrecht, Anne Poetker, Ruth Thiessen, Erna Down and Elfrieda Janzen.