Gerhard J. Derksen of 42153 Central Rd., Yarrow BC passed away December 20, 1965, at the Chilliwack General Hospital.

He was born March 7, 1879 in Saribasch, Crimea, South Russia to Jakob & Anna (Janzen) Duerksen. He was baptized May 26, 1899 at Ruekenau, Molotschna, South Russia.

He was the third youngest sibling of a large family. Three of his brothers lived in Yarrow, his two younger brothers Johann and Julius, and an older brother Peter.

Gerhard married Katharina Goossen on September 6, 1908 at Alexanderthal, Molotschna, South Russia. They had two children, Annchen (1909) and Jacob (1911).


During the 1st World War, Gerhard was conscripted to the Ural Mountains along with other Mennonite men, including his brother Julius. The picture on the right shows Gerhard, Julius and Cornëlius Boschman during a Christmas reunion while in the foresty service.

In 1925, the family and their niece Agnes immigrated to Winkler, Manitoba to join Gerhard's brother Johann. In 1930 they moved to Yarrow where they bought a five acre farm on Central Road.

A perceptive leader of the fledgling community of Yarrow, Gerhad was instrumental in the founding of Yarrow's Elim Bible School. The Gerhard Derksen's living room served as the first classroom (Neufeldt).

He was a member of the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization.

Gerhard Derksen carried on an extensive letter correspondence with Mennonite church leaders (former and aspiring) in the Soviet Union who had survived the Stalinist years and were beginning to reorganize their church life. [Stalin took over shortly after the death of Lenin in 1924; he died in 1953 and was denounced by Khrushchev in 1956.] Many Mennonite men were therefore being released from prison camps about that time and were reunited with their families/relatives/other Mennonites.

When he passed away, he had lived in the Chilliwack area for 35 years, in later years as a retired farmer.




The phototgraph on the left shows the Texaco service station with the shop and garage Gerhard operated with his son Jacob, along with the Derksen house. Not shown is the cow and chicken barns on the Derksen's samll farm.

The funeral took place December 22, 1965 in the Yarrow Mennonite Brethren Church. Rev. David Friesen assisted by Rev. Peter Loewen and Rev. Frank Friesen officiated at the service. Pallbearers were deacons: Jake Martens, Nick Boschman, John Unger, John Kroeker, John Koehn, and John Derksen.

He is survived by one daughter, Miss Annie Derksen, Yarrow; one son Jacob G. (Susie) Yarrow; four grandchildren, Jack, Edwin, Caroline, and Susan, and one great-grandson.

He was predeceased by his wife Katharina (Tina) in 1945, one sister and seven brothers.

Interment was in Yarrow Cemetery.

Gerhard J. Derksen , Yarrow, BC (a list of his involvements and a biography, from the Mennonitische Rundschau, May 22/46)

Born on March 7, 1879 in Sarabasch, Crimea. As far as is known, his village of origin was Blumenort, Molotschna. A proven worker in our Mennonite circles. Active for many years in the Gnadenfeld area. [eastern Molotschna administrative area] Later in the Verband Buerger Hollaendischer Herkunft [Association of Citizens of Dutch Extraction].

He was a delegate to the first All Mennonite Conference held in Moscow in 1925.

Gerhard Derksen, clean shaven gentleman, 4th from right on the first bench row.

Left Russia in Oct. 1925 with wife, daughter, and son. His first home in Canada was Gnadenthal, Manitoba. From there Derksens moved to Winkler. Thanks to hard physical labour and a strong determination, the family’s travel debt did not become a problem.

Relocated to BC in the early 1930s and with hard work created a home in Yarrow. Soon he became deeply involved, once again, in the affairs of his people. As chair of the provincial committee [looking after Mennonite issues in BC] for many years he has performed a great service to the Mennonite settlements; and when he is at times being referred to in jest as the [Mennonite] mayor of BC, there is good reason for the designation. He has performed a great service in helping to liquidate the travel debt owed by BC residents.

He is also chair of the provincial relief committee and a long time member of the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization. For many years he chaired the medical committee.

Be it a missions committee, church construction/development, Bible School construction/development, staffing, etc., everywhere we see his footprint and frequently his viewpoint. With God’s help, he has done a lot. May God preserve his health, so that he will be able to continue serving our people.

He suffered a severe blow recently with the home going of his faithful life partner, Katharina (Goossen) on March 2.

Gerhard J. Derksen , Yarrow, BC (obituary, taken from the Mennonitische Rundschau, Jan. 12/66)

It has pleased the Lord to call home to the kingdom of eternal light, after a long and productive life, his dear servant, Brother Gerhard J. Derksen. On the morning of December 20, 1965 he followed the call of his Master.

The funeral was held in the afternoon of December 22 in the large Yarrow M.B. Church. Since the dear Brother Derksen had helped many of our people individually and as a whole, he was loved and held in high regard by many. Many attended the funeral.

Our pastor, Rev. David Friesen, prayed and opened the service with II Timothy 4:7 & 8.

A taped song by grandchildren Jack & Jenny Derksen in Kobe, Japan was played.

Brother Derksen had requested that the grace of God be highlighted at his funeral. Based on Eph. 1:7 & I Cor. 15:10, Rev. P.D. Loewen emphasized that the grace of God rescues individuals, sanctifies them, enables them to serve, and brings them to a final state of salvation.

A quartet sang “Nur mit Jesu will ich Pilger wander”.

Rev. Frank Friesen from Morden, Man. based his message on John 1:29. He pointed out that Brother Friesen had placed his entire trust in Jesus, the Lamb of God. This trust he has maintained to his end.

The taped song “Gott haelt unsere Hand” was now sung by his grandchildren.

Rev. David Friesen read the obituary and a telegram from Elder J.J. Thiessen, Saskatoon, with whom Brother Derksen had worked extensively.

Rev. Frank Friesen had the closing prayer. Everyone present was given the opportunity for a view of the departed brother.

At the cemetery Rev. D. Friesen read I Cor. 15:42-45 & 49-57, and prayed. A quartet sang ,,Engel, oeffnet die Tore weit”.

The remains, now in a cool grave await the call of the resurrection trumpet.

Obituary

I was born on March 7, 1879 in the village of Sarabasch in the Crimea. Here I lived to the age of 12. Then I was taken in by my foster parents, Gerhard Klassens, living in Blumenort, Molotschna, where my brother Martin was engaged in business. My brother and I were there together for the next 20 years.

In 1900, during the great period of revival, after my brother and his wife were saved, I too turned my life over to the Lord, accepted the salvation offered by Christ through grace, and became a child of God. A great awakening in the surrounding villages was taking place through missionary Johann Fast from Orloff. He was on furlough from the mission field in Java and for many he became the one who showed them the path to eternal life. In 1903 I, together with many others, was baptized upon a living faith by Elder David Schellenberg, Rueckenau, and was received into the M.B. Church.

In 1908 the Lord granted to me a faithful life partner, Tina Goossen from Alexandertal. On September 6 we were married by Rev. Johann Toews from Alexandertal. We lived in Blumenort for three years and then relocated to Alexandertal, where we lived for 14 years.

The Lord granted us two children, daughter Annie and son Jacob. In addition, the Lord provided us with two foster children: Agnes Unger, married to Rev. Frank Friesen, Morden, Man., and Jacob Dahl, married to Luise Giesbrecht and living on a farm in Arnold, BC.

In 1914, with the outbreak of World War I, I was drafted and had to spend 3.5 years in the service of my country, mainly in the far north, not far from the Ural Mountains at Wjatka. Since I was forced to travel extensively, I found myself travelling through Moscow on October 17, 1917, just as the Reds were taking over the city. Amid great danger to my life, I was able to leave Moscow on a military train.

Immediately following the war famine and the bloody revolution arrived.

In 1925, thanks to the leading of God, we, along with many others, were able to immigrate to Canada. We moved on to a farm in Gnadental, near Winnipeg. Two years later we relocated to Winkler, Man. and in 1930 to Yarrow, BC, where a new settlement was coming into existence. The pioneering years in the prairie provinces and in BC were difficult. But the Lord has helped in a wonderful way.

On March 4, 1945, in keeping with the unanticipated ways of the Lord, my dear wife and mother of our children was taken from us into the home above. On her difficult deathbed she indicated that she was not dying but was merely transitioning to the home above. That was and remains my comfort.

(Father wrote to this point.)

After mother’s death, father carried on for 20 years as a widower. We children stood by him faithfully in his loneliness.

Father had a warm heart for our severely tested co-religionists in Russia. Through his instrumentality, as long as it was possible [before 1957, ed.] many Bibles and later, duplicated sermons as well, were sent there. These were greatly appreciated by the recipients.

Father was also in regular contact with our M.B. Board of General Welfare and Public Relations. The Board helped the needy families of preachers acquire clothing and food at reasonable prices. Because father knew many of these preachers personally or through letter contact, he was able to serve as dispenser of these gifts. Because of this involvement on his part, many needs were met.

Father’s eyesight was steadily deteriorating because of his diabetes. For this reason he turned this important work over to Brother David Klassen two or three years ago. That greatly decreased father’s workload. Each time the Board and other donors received letters of heartfelt thanks from abroad, father overflowed with joy. Father is now resting from his labour and we grant him the rest, wholeheartedly.

In January 1947, the doctor determined that father had diabetes. Thanks to assistance from the medical profession, the competent care rendered by daughter Annie, and God’s gracious guidance (“your providence watched over my spirit”, Job 10:12) his condition remained more or less stable, and his health was reasonably good.

Apart from brief periods in the hospital for tests, he was able to be at home. During the past year his diabetes worsened to the point where it was necessary for him to be hospitalized for an extended period. Without complaining, and with submission to the will of God, father bore his illness to the end. In November he underwent major surgery in Vancouver, which failed to bring about the hoped for result. He was able to come home after three weeks, but he was clearly deteriorating. His last days were spent back in the hospital, with great pain. His day of departure came on the morning of December 20.

Father is now with the Lord, preceded by our dear mother. We find comfort in the knowledge that sooner or later we will meet again. Father attained an age of 86 years, 9 months, and 13 days.

He is survived by daughter Annie, son Jacob, one daughter-in-law, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild. The grieving children and grandchildren extend thanks for all expressions of sympathy.

(Submitted by H. Janzen, correspondent, as/request)

References

Neufeldt, Leonard N., ed. Yarrow, British Columbia: Mennonite Promise: Before We Were the Land's. Victoria, BC: Touchwood, 2002.

Neufeldt, Leonard N., ed. Yarrow, British Columbia: Mennonite Promise: Village of Unsettled Yearnings. Victoria, BC: Touchwood, 2002.