Helena Klassen

1886 - 1965

Helena Klassen, nee Penner was born January 30th 1886 in Eichenfeld, South Russia. In 1905, she was married to Abram A. Dyck to which union the Lord gave four sons and two daughters. In 1919 the happy home life was disrupted by the invasion of the Red Army. Her husband, along with many others were killed by these men. In the months of hardship that followed she had to flee her home with her children. During this time a seventh child was born.

Typhoid also claimed the lives of close relatives. During this time of severe hardship, she moved to Steinfeld to join the families of John and Henry Dyck, brothers of her husband. Here she came to know the Lord as her Saviour and was baptized and received into the Mennonite Brethren church.

In 1923 she left for Canada with her seven children but because four went on to Canada ahead of the rest and 2 were detained for a time in Germany, she was able to come across with only one by her side. It took four years until the whole family was re-united.

She arrived in Canada in 1924 and in the same year in April she was married to Mr. J. M. Klassen of Rush Lake, Sask. who had five sons and two daughters of his own. Two daughters were born to the marriage which augmented the family to 16. It brought great joy to the parents that all their children were led to the Lord and that Abe, Helen and John Dyck followed the call to missionary service in South America.

The parents moved to Yarrow in 1938 where Mr. Klassen passed away in 1949. After his death Mrs. Klassen lived for 14 years with her daughter Mary in Vancouver. Even after she could no longer leave her home, she loved to participate in the church services by extension, a service the Fraserview Church rendered to her. In failing health, she was moved to Menno Private Hospital in Abbotsford where she passed away July 27, at the age of 79. She is survived by eight sons and seven daughters, eight daughters-in-law, five sons-in-law, 53 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.

The funeral was in the Fraserview Church on July 31, with Rev. Wilmer Kornelson and Rev. C.D. Toews ministering.