Margie L. Jantzen
Margie L. Jantzen, 77, died
Sunday (July 22, 2007) in Newton. She was born on March 17, 1930, to Nelson and
Rena Wedel. During her childhood, she lived with her parents on a farm near
Ringwood, Okla. She attended West New Hopedale Mennonite Church with her
parents, where, at an early age, she accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her
savior and was baptized. Her education began in a one-room school near her
parent's farm. She attended high school at Oklahoma Bible Academy, which was
then located in Meno, Okla. After graduating from the academy, she attended
Grace Bible Institute in Omaha, Neb. for three years, where she studied
Christian education. She then transferred to Phillips University in Enid,
Okla., where she received her teaching degree.
Her teaching career began at
Progressive School near Fairview, Okla., where she taught first and second
grade for nine years and carried with her many happy memories of those days.
She married Harold H. Jantzen
on June 2, 1961. They lived in Kismet from 1961 to 1994 and were founding
members of Calvary Mennonite Church in Liberal. She taught first grade at
Kismet Elementary School where Harold also was a teacher and later, principal
of the school. She left teaching when she and Harold received their first
child, Lois. She relished her role as a mother and only returned to teaching
after both her children had entered junior high. She then taught kindergarten
in Plains for 13 years, retiring, along with her husband in 1994.
During the first few years of
their retirement, they lived in Enid, before moving to Newton in 1999 to be
near their children. In March 2006, they moved into Presbyterian Manor where
her health deteriorated rapidly. She went to be with the lord on July 22, 2007,
and even though we will miss her greatly, we rejoice that she is in heaven.
She leaves behind her
husband; a daughter, Lois; a grandson, Byron; a son, David and wife Bethany;
and grandchildren, Michael, Christopher and Samantha.
Service will be at 2 p.m.
Thursday at Indian Creek Village near Ringwood with the Rev. Dennis Treat and
the Rev. Shorty Unruh officiating. Burial will follow at West New Hopedale
Cemetery near Ringwood.
In lieu of flowers, the
family requests that donations be made to The Margie Jantzen Children's
Foundation, which will provide funds to assist families with school fees in USD
483 in care of Henninger-Allen Funeral Home, 601 W. Broadway, Enid, OK 73701.
Condolences may be made at www.enidwecare.com.