1922
Eileen
2014
Eileen Janzen
November 4, 1922 — July 10, 2014
Eileen Doris Epp Janzen, 91, died in her home at Kidron Bethel Village on July 10, 2014.
She was born to Dietrich G. and Marie Dueck Epp on November 4, 1922 on a farm near Lushton, Nebraska. When she was 5 years old, she began going to school in a small one-room country school where she learned to speak English. Eileen's family moved to Arriba, CO when she was 9 years old. The Depression and the Dust Bowl days saw the family returning to Nebraska in 1935, where Eileen began high school in Henderson. After graduating in 1940, she attended Henderson Bible School where she accepted Jesus as her Savior. She was baptized and joined the Bethesda Mennonite Church in June 1941.
Eileen attended the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (Biola) from the fall of 1942 until her marriage to Lester Janzen on March 4, 1944. Six weeks after they married he was sent to Europe to serve in the Army. While he was gone she worked as a dental assistant in Henderson. After the war ended, they returned to Los Angeles and were there until Lester graduated in June 1949. In 1950 they moved to Goshen, IN where he attended and graduated from Goshen College. He served as pastor of the Bethel Mennonite Church in Perkasie, PA from 1951 to late 1956, when they moved to Ritzville, WA to serve the Menno Mennonite Church.
In 1963 they moved with their five children to Newton where Lester served as Stewardship Secretary for the General Conference Mennonite Church. Along with being a homemaker, Eileen volunteered with Released Time Bible School, taught Sunday School and Bible School, served as a Cub Scout leader, and was a member of the Mission Circle and the quilting group at Faith Mennonite Church, where they were members. After the children were all in school, she worked part- and then full-time as the offset printing press operator for Faith and Life Press for 25 years.
In late 2001 Lester and Eileen moved to a duplex at Kidron Bethel Village. On October 8, 2002 Lester passed away and their daughter, Faith, died unexpectedly on January 1, 2003. In addition to her husband and daughter, she was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Sylvester D. (Bob) Epp.
Survivors include her children Cheri Jantzen (David) of Houston, TX; Judi Janzen of Salem, OR; Joel Janzen (Natalie) of Denver, CO; Scott Janzen (Karen) of Evergreen, CO; grandchildren Kristen Allen (Eric), Trey Jantzen (Melissa), Jessica Nikkel Thorson (Phil), Lucas Nikkel (Julie), Brandon Jantzen (Amanda), Sydney Janzen, and Oliver Janzen; four great-grandchildren; siblings Dennis D. Epp and Geraldine Friesen of Henderson, NE, and Jane Hershberger of Newton.
A memorial service will be held at Faith Mennonite Church in Newton on August 2, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.
Memorials may be made to Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice or the Kinder Peace Garden project at Kidron Bethel Village, in care of Broadway Colonial Funeral Home at 120 E Broadway, Newton, KS 67114.
She was born to Dietrich G. and Marie Dueck Epp on November 4, 1922 on a farm near Lushton, Nebraska. When she was 5 years old, she began going to school in a small one-room country school where she learned to speak English. Eileen's family moved to Arriba, CO when she was 9 years old. The Depression and the Dust Bowl days saw the family returning to Nebraska in 1935, where Eileen began high school in Henderson. After graduating in 1940, she attended Henderson Bible School where she accepted Jesus as her Savior. She was baptized and joined the Bethesda Mennonite Church in June 1941.
Eileen attended the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (Biola) from the fall of 1942 until her marriage to Lester Janzen on March 4, 1944. Six weeks after they married he was sent to Europe to serve in the Army. While he was gone she worked as a dental assistant in Henderson. After the war ended, they returned to Los Angeles and were there until Lester graduated in June 1949. In 1950 they moved to Goshen, IN where he attended and graduated from Goshen College. He served as pastor of the Bethel Mennonite Church in Perkasie, PA from 1951 to late 1956, when they moved to Ritzville, WA to serve the Menno Mennonite Church.
In 1963 they moved with their five children to Newton where Lester served as Stewardship Secretary for the General Conference Mennonite Church. Along with being a homemaker, Eileen volunteered with Released Time Bible School, taught Sunday School and Bible School, served as a Cub Scout leader, and was a member of the Mission Circle and the quilting group at Faith Mennonite Church, where they were members. After the children were all in school, she worked part- and then full-time as the offset printing press operator for Faith and Life Press for 25 years.
In late 2001 Lester and Eileen moved to a duplex at Kidron Bethel Village. On October 8, 2002 Lester passed away and their daughter, Faith, died unexpectedly on January 1, 2003. In addition to her husband and daughter, she was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Sylvester D. (Bob) Epp.
Survivors include her children Cheri Jantzen (David) of Houston, TX; Judi Janzen of Salem, OR; Joel Janzen (Natalie) of Denver, CO; Scott Janzen (Karen) of Evergreen, CO; grandchildren Kristen Allen (Eric), Trey Jantzen (Melissa), Jessica Nikkel Thorson (Phil), Lucas Nikkel (Julie), Brandon Jantzen (Amanda), Sydney Janzen, and Oliver Janzen; four great-grandchildren; siblings Dennis D. Epp and Geraldine Friesen of Henderson, NE, and Jane Hershberger of Newton.
A memorial service will be held at Faith Mennonite Church in Newton on August 2, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.
Memorials may be made to Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice or the Kinder Peace Garden project at Kidron Bethel Village, in care of Broadway Colonial Funeral Home at 120 E Broadway, Newton, KS 67114.
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