Maria Bergen

Mennonite Genealogy with Michael Penner

Maria Giesbrecht nee Bergen (1889-1973)

Obituary of Maria Giesbrecht (1889-1973)
(Winkler, Man.)

The funeral for sister Maria Giesbrecht, nee Bergen, was Monday, August 20th, around 2:30 p.m. at the MB-church in Winkler.

The funeral celebration was directed by Br. Eldon DeFehr, summer pastor for the MB-fellowship in Winkler. After the opening prayer, the entire meeting sang the comforting sorrow: “Goodbye, O How Beautifully.”

Br. DeFehr based the English message on John 14:1-3. He got to know the sister only when he assumed the position as a summer pastor. Because he does not have mastery of the German language, he asked Br. D. Schellenberg come along, in order to visit her. He admired her lively spirit, her candor and her apprehension of the spiritual welfare of other. In the visit, they had conversed regarding her personal beliefs. In his message, Br. DeFehr showed “the care of the Lord for his own.” Into this home that God builds, the sister has now transferred.

This was followed by a song sung by Jake and Eleanor Dueck, grandchildren of the sister. The contents of the song were: “Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

By request of the deceased, Frank Friesen (Morden) spoke in German. She had also selected the text. Br. Friesen mentioned that the sister had written an unusual letter to the children that they should read after she had died. She had written this letter, as I understood it, a year ago and it was a precious legacy for those left behind. It was read in the funeral home when the family was there together.

The text that the sister had selected for her funeral, we find in 2 Timothy 4:7-8. It contains three truths. The life of a child of God is a life struggle. That the sister confessed. It was a battle of the soul around things eternal, from one day to the next, and she did not remain on the fence. Today we say, she has completed the journey. Her pilgrimage ended on Friday, August 17. Her testimony is this: I kept the faith. What a clear, threefold testimony! As a community, we must say, we have a faithful “Beterin” gone to the grave.

Siblings Jake and Eleanor Dueck sang now: “I will be no stranger there.” The pianist for the celebration was a granddaughter, Edith Giesbrecht.

There were many grieving outside guests present: from Newton Siding and Elm Creek. The family had friendly provided for all present, before they proceeded on the way home. The Winkler sisters societies under the direction of sister J. J. Peter served willingly and gladly at the tables. The sister rests now at the Winkler cemetery. The blessing of this mother were instilled upon children and grandchild alike.

                 Mrs. J. J. Janzen
                 No. 10, Plum Coulee, Manitoba
                 R0G 1R0

Life Story

It pleased the Heavenly Father to take to himself into heaven our dearly loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Maria Giesbrecht, nee Bergen. She now enjoys the peaceful harvests and the reward that the Word promises.

Mother was born in 1889 in Lichtenau, South Russia as a daughter of Heinrich and Katharina Bergen. In a simple, pious parental home, she grew up, and at age 17, she accepted the Lord as her Savior, followed Him in the baptism, and remained true to her Saviour through all storms of the life. She was always an example to us in her beliefs in her life in the dear Lord Jesus.

In 1907, she gave her hand in marriage to our father, Abram Peter Giesbrecht. This marriage produced six sons of which one died at an early age.

Our parents emigrated in 1924 to Canada, where they initially farmed in Hochfeld, near Winkler, and later in Fortier, Manitoba. In 1944, they retired and moved to Winkler where, in 1964, our father preceded her in death.

Mother saw it as the gracious leadership of God that she found a comfortable dwelling in the Heritage Apartments in Winkler, where life went especially well and where she very dearly “genossen und auch ausgestreut”.

About two months ago her health suffered and she tested herself at the gates of the eternity, whether His blood also covered all her sins. In the last week she became entirely quiet, the struggles stopped and she went Friday, August 17 over into the homeland that awaited her. We perceive the space painful that this faithful “Beterin”, that brought us individually daily before the throne of the grace, will do this favor to us no longer. Our wish and prayer is that we could all leave behind as clear a testimony as she has left.

Our mother reached an age of 84 years, 5 months and 20 days. She leaves behind 5 sons with their wives, 19 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, in addition to many relatives and friends.

We as a family express thanks for all the love that was offered our mother and also us, especially also from the dear siblings in the Heritage Apartments. We give thanks for all the visits that she received in the hospital. Very many friends and neighbors assisted her, also in her widowhood. She has to each given a sincere “Vergel's God”. We thank the fellowship here at the place, that they shared the funeral ceremony with us. Thank you very much also to the pastors, who served us with words of the comfort, also the sisters society in the serving at the funeral meal. Also for each handshake of love we express thanks. Especially we thank the dear God for the hope of the eternal life, where we to Jesus’ feet unitedly with our love want to eternally thank him.

The mourning family

Back to the Bergen/Giesbrecht page.