Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.
Marie Klassen

Marie Klassen

Female 1906 - 1993  (87 years)

Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Marie Klassen 
    Born 1906  , Ukraine Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Female 
    Church Membership W-K United Mennonite Church, Waterloo, Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Possesions tea cup and saucer 
    • The tea cup and saucer were given to Marie by Mary Wagler in memory of Mary and Jacob's daughter Mary/Maimie Wagler who died in 1932 just a few days before her 29th birthday. Marie never married and returned to K-W from New York in her later years. Sometime before she died, she returned the cup and saucer to Florence. The cup and saucer have been passed to a niece of Florence's.1a

      1aMarion Roes 2012
    Cup and Saucer owned by Marie Klassen
    Cup and Saucer owned by Marie Klassen
    Immigration 1924  , Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Name Maria Klassen 
    Residence 1993  11 Margaret Avenue, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-145795 
    Died 22 Jan 1993  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Buried Mount Hope Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Person ID I145795  Generations
    Last Modified 25 Apr 2024 

    Father Bernhard B. Klassen,   b. 1873, , Ukraine Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Mother Marie Woelk,   b. , South Russia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Bef 1924, , South Russia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F43343  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Marie Klassen, Russian Mennonite immigrant, came to Canada with her sister Helena, brother George and father Bernhard in 1924. Her mother Marie (Woelk) was killed in Russia when the family was attacked. Helena was injured. Marie hid in the garden and wasn't hurt. When they came to Canada - likely to the Waterloo train station - they were with a group who went to the Mornington Amish Mennonite Church in Perth County where Jacob L. Wagler was deacon (or bishop) and were dispersed to live with families in that area. (There has been much written about the German/Russian Mennonite immigration to Waterloo and to Manitoba in the late 1800s and in 1924.)

      Marie was a teenager and stayed with Jacob L. and Mary (Schwartzentruber) Wagler and helped Mary. They lived in Millbank. Florence Roes thinks that Marie didn't speak English when she came but she "learned it well." Marie helped with caring for Mary's grandchildren, children of Barbara (Wagler) and John Roes: Mary Roes (Zehr) born in 1924 and Florence Roes born in 1927.

      Marie eventually left Waglers as an adult and worked in the K-W area with her sister Helena. Marie was a dressmaker and Helena a nurse. Together they went to live in New York City and periodically returned to visit the Wagler/Roes family: Mary, Barb and Florence.

      The tea cup and saucer were given to Marie by Mary Wagler in memory of Mary and Jacob's daughter Mary/Maimie Wagler who died in 1932 just a few days before her 29th birthday. Marie never married and returned to K-W from New York in her later years. Sometime before she died, she returned the cup and saucer to Florence. The cup and saucer have been passed to a niece of Florence's. Marie's funeral was at the Waterloo-Kitchener United Mennonite Church, George Street, Waterloo.

      A church history about W-K was published in 2008 and "Marie Klassen, New York City" is listed as a member in the index. The secretary at W-K kindly looked in their records and found the obituary. Marie died January 22, 1993 in Kitchener.

      The obituary is from The K-W Record .

      Klassen, Marie - On Friday, Jan. 22, 1993, at St. Mary's General Hospital, Marie Klassen, of 1507-11 Margaret Ave., Kitchener. Survived by John Thiessen of Rosthern, Sask, Isaak Thiessen of Saskatoon, Sask., Mary Nickel of Langham, Sask., nephew, Bernhard Nickel and his wife Alice Wiser of Guelph. She will be sadly missed by her many family members scattered throughout Canada and the United States. Predeceased by her sister, Helena Klassen and her brother, George Klassen, parents, Bernhard B. Klassen and Marie Woelk. Marie was a member of the W-K United Mennonite Church. Friends may call at the Ratz-Bechtel Funeral Home, 621 King St., W., Kitchener, today (Monday) from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral service in the funeral home chapel, Tuesday 1 p.m. with Rev. Waldemar Regier officiating. Interment Waterloo Mount Hope Cemetery. Reception to follow in the Ratz-Bechtel Family Centre. Donations to the W-K United Mennonite Church Memorial Fund, may be made as expressions of sympathy.

      Sources: Florence Roes, New Hamburg; W-K United Mennonite Church; Marie Klassen's obituary; Worship at 'George Street' - a history of our transitions, 1924 - 2008 by Karl Dick.
      Compiled by Marion Roes, March 2012

      __________________________

      1941 Aug 20 Wed. "Sister Katie and I at Jake Schmidt's for supper. Klassen girls from New York city here for a call Noah's took them to Kitchener in evening".


      1937-1941 Diary of Mrs. Jacob L. Wagler / Mary Schwartzentruber, transcribed by Marion Roes


  • Sources 
    1. [S74] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Kitchener-Waterloo Record (1948-1994), Obituary of Marie Klassen - 22 Jan 1993.

    2. [S192] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - Mount Hope CC#4500 Internet Link.
      Klassen/ Helena/ 1894-1970/ Maria/ 1906-1993/ George/ 1910-1972/ rest in peace

    3. [S1759] Immigration - Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919-1924.
      Maria Klassen Gender: Female Estimated Birth Year: abt 1911 Birth Place: Ukraine Age: 13 Date of Arrival: 18 Jul 1924 Port of Arrival: Quebec Port of Departure: Riga, Latvia Ship Name: Minnedosa

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 1906 - , Ukraine Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChurch Membership - - W-K United Mennonite Church, Waterloo, Ontario Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsImmigration - 1924 - , Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1993 - 11 Margaret Avenue, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 22 Jan 1993 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Mount Hope Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth