On July 17, 2012, Agatha (nee Jantzen) Dyck, was peacefully called home to be with her Lord and Saviour at the age of 93. For the last number of years she had much pain, however, she remained mentally alert insisting on living independently as long as possible.
Left to mourn are her 4 sons, Ralph (Aggie), Ken (Sally), Stan (Nora), and David; 9 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and her younger sister, Betty (Walter Martens), and sister-in-law Helen Jantzen. Agatha, was predeceased by her husband, John (1998), father Johann Johann Jantzen (1948), her mother Helena (nee Klippenstein, 1968), and siblings: Jacob, Helena, Anna (Henry Schartner), Margarethe (Johann Janzen), Jacob, Sara (Henry Spenst), Helena, Lise, Johannes (Helen Mathies), Jacob (Sara Neufeldt).
Agatha was born in Povlodar, Russia on May 12, 1919. She was the eleventh child of a family of twelve. In 1925, with the dream of a new peaceful life, the family moved to Canada. They first settled in Grunthal, Manitoba. Here she attended school up to grade 7 but, due to her mother’s illness, was required to stop and assist with household duties. Weekly youth meetings, youth choir, and playing in the guitar band brought her great joy.
Jobs were scarce. The children needed to support the family. With stories of better times on the West Coast the family moved to Yarrow, B.C in 1937. At that time, co-ordinated by MCC, homes were established in Vancouver where girls could live and work as maids. Mom often told about being asked to prepare foods she had never seen in the Mennonite Cook Book!
It was in that “Girl’s Home”, by herself, in 1938 that Agatha committed her life to the Lord. She was baptised later that year by Rev. J. Harder. The rest of her life she was faithful in service to her Lord. She attended the Yarrow Bible School for 2 years.
At the Yarrow MB Church she met John Dyck whom she married on November 29, 1942. They enjoyed 56 years together.
Her life of service included 25 years of Sunday School teaching, 18 years of working with “Moms” (a ministry of the Union Gospel Mission), and 21 years along with her husband as ordained deacons at the Fraserview M. B. Church. She faithfully supported the ministry of “The Ambassadors”, a choir serving care homes and missions, led by her husband for 18 years. Hospitality and cooking were her gifts from God. She catered many functions, enjoyed entertaining friends, family, and many M. B. Conference pastors and leaders as they visited the church.
The family is very grateful to the staff at Menno Terrace East, Menno Home, and Dr. Chan for the excellent care given to mom.
In lieu of flowers donations would be appreciated to the Union Gospel Mission, 601 E. Hastings St., Vancouver, BC V6A 1J7, or The Gideons, 501 Imperial Road North, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 7A2.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall lack nothing.” Ps. 23:1
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