WIENS, Abram A. 1896-1965
Abram A. Wiens: farmer, churchman, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) worker; was born 9 August 1896 in Sparrau, Molotschna Mennonite Settlement, South Russia. He was the second son of seven children born to Abram (1847-1907) and Ageneta (Koop) Wiens (1860-1929).

Wiens attended the Sparrau village school where he was instructed by Benjamin B. Janz. He continued his studies at the Halbstadt Zentralschule and later graduated with honors from the Halbstadt Kommerzschule.

On 6 July 1919 Abram was baptized and joined the Mennonite Brethren Church in Tiege, Zagradovka. On 20 October 1919 he married his stepsister, Anna Dueckman (1897-1994), also of Tiege, Zagradovka. These were civil war years which brought many hardships for the young family, especially since he served in the White Army and in the Selbstschutz.

They emigrated to Canada in 1925 at New Hamburg, Ontario, where Wiens worked as a farm hand and factory laborer. In 1928 the family moved to Chortitz, Manitoba where they farmed. In 1942 they moved to Yarrow, British Columbia, where the family operated a small raspberry operation. Five children were born to Abram and Anna Wiens: Agnes, Henry and Anne in Ukraine; John and Ernest in Canada.

In BC Anna and Abram were finally able to continue the work they had already begun in New Russia, where they had been active in the American Mennonite Relief Program. Wiens became active in the Mennonite Relief Committee in BC, the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization, and in 1957 the BC government Relief program for Hungarian refugees. They helped to establish and coordinate the Mennonite Central Committee clothing depot in Yarrow after World War II.

Wiens was an early advocate for the establishment of a Canadian organization that would resemble the Mennonite Central Committee. In 1951 Wiens expressed the desire to see the amalgamation of the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization and the Mennonite Central Relief Committee. In 1958 he again pushed for the amalgamation of the two organizations, and in the following year the two agreed to form the Canadian Mennonite Relief and Immigration Council was formed, with Wiens serving as secretary.

In Yarrow, Wiens participated in the development of the Yarrow German Saturday school, chaired the Parent-Teacher Association of the Sharon Mennonite Collegiate Institute, and was a board member of the Yarrow Growers' Cooperative. Abram also became a representative from Western Canada on the board of the Bethesda Mental Hospital board in Vineland, Ontario. After his retirement, he took on the formidable task of organizing the B. B. Janz personal papers collection.

For many years, George G. Baerg and Abram A. Wiens were involved in the work of MCC and its predecessor organizations. Wiens was especially active in assisting post World War II newcomers to BC with issues related to settlement and citizenship. Quite a few of these new Canadians settled in Yarrow. Additionally, he helped create and supervise an MCC depot on his property in Yarrow. From this depot clothing was sent to other parts of the world.

In the 1964 Anna and Abram Wiens retired to Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Abram A. Wiens died 10 June 1965 at the M.S.A. Hospital in Abbotsford, BC, only one year after retiring as the secretary-treasurer of the Mennonite Central Committee. His funeral was held Monday June 14th at the Clearbrook Mennonite Brethren Church with interment in Hazelwood Cemetery. Rev. Nick Dyck and Rev. J.J. Thiessen of Saskatchewan officiated.

Honorary pallbearers were Rev. G. Thielmann, Rev. A.J. Pankratz and Rev. P. Wiebe. Active pallbearers were Rev. N. Bartel, D. Wiebe, P. Unruh, I. Dyck, R. Banman and G. Baerg.

He was survived by his wife Anna; three sons, Henry of Abbotsford, John of Prince George and Ernest of Vancouver; two daughters, Miss Agnes Wiens at home and Mrs. Peter (Ann) Janzen, Vancouver Island; 19 grandchildren and five sisters.

Garden Chapel Funeral Home in Abbotsford was in charge of arrangements.

Anna Wiens died 30 years later on 23 June 1994, shortly before her 97th birthday.