September 9, 2014 — The CBWC was saddened to learn that Kathleen Marie Janzen (nee Hilde) passed away peacefully at home into the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ on Sunday morning, September 7, 2014 at the age of 77 years, following a year’s battle with colon cancer.
She was born on March 25, 1937 in Loos, B.C., and after graduating from high school in Prince George at the age of 16 years, attended Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta. This was followed by 3 years of Registered Nurse’s training at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, B.C., where she continued after graduation for another 3 years as a nursing instructor in pediatrics.
In 1963 she married Karl Janzen and moved to Three Hills, Alberta, where she served as a nurse, piano teacher, and mother to their three children who were born there. In 1971 the Janzen family moved to Victoria, B.C., where Kathleen worked as a nurse and Karl served as Lay Minister at Emmanuel Baptist Church. From there, the Janzen family was accepted in 1975 for cross-cultural missionary service overseas by the Canadian Baptist Overseas Mission Board for ministry in South America and Africa.
Kathleen taught sacred music at two seminaries in Brazil from 1977 to 2003, having earned her ARCT (piano teacher), BRE (religious education); BCM (church music), and MA in Ethnomusicology degrees. Frequent, temporary trips to Angola, Africa, endeared Kathleen and her musical talent to the people there.
The Janzens retired from missionary service in 2003 in Vernon, B.C., where Kathleen continued to serve actively at First Baptist Church and in other community endeavours.
Kathleen leaves to mourn her passing: Karl Janzen, her husband of 51 years; her 3 children: Diane (Gerson) Betman of Vernon, B.C., Douglas (Jill) Janzen of Ft. St. John, B.C., and Sandra (David James) Janzen of Campbellville, Ontario; her brother Ken (Julie) Hilde of Grand Forks and her sister Sharon (Ed) Davis of Williams Lake, B.C. She has 7 grandchildren who will dearly miss their vovó. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Raynor (Judy) Hilde.
An interment service, for family and close friends, will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 12, at the Pleasant Valley Cemetery, and a Celebration of Life memorial service will be commemorated at First Baptist Church, 1406 – 32nd Avenue in Vernon, B.C., on Saturday, September 13, at 2:00 p.m., with Rev. Dan Watt officiating, followed by a reception and refreshments in the church hall.
Please keep the Janzen family and their friends in your prayers.