Ethel Lillin Wiens

Born April 25, 1931 in Lustre, Montana to Dietrich M. and Kathrine (Franz) Olfert in her parent’s homestead. She passed away at the Good Samaritan Home in Mt. Lake, MN on June 5, 2025 at the age of 94.

Ethel finished country grade school and attended Lustre Bible School in Glasgow, MT. She then attended high school at Lustre Academy, and graduated from Salem Academy. She later attended and graduated from Grace Bible Institute. She was a student of Scripture, writing many acrostic studies using Bible verses. She underlined her Bible in assorted colors to outline subjects like "What God said", "What do I need to do about it", "God’s Promises", etc.  She wrote greeting cards using the person’s name with an acrostic of each letter of their first name accompanied by a Bible verse or phrase with that letter.

Ethel accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior and committed her life to the Lord at a revival meeting, was Baptized and became a member of the Mennonite Brethren Church. After her marriage she became a member of the various churches where she and her husband served.

On June17, 1952, she married Frank C. Wiens, her high school sweetheart whom she met at Lustre Bible Academy. To this union, four children were born. Judith (Pablo) Perez (Quito, Ecuador), James (Olga) Wiens (Volgograd Russia), Dr. Glenn (Nancy) Wiens (Grand Forks N. D.)  and Gary (Susan) Wiens.

She was a faithful pastor’s wife, companion and prayer warrior in the pastorate and various missionary ministries. Ethel supported her husband serving in ministries such as music, visitation, Sunday School Teacher to children, youth, ministry leader, counselor, speaker, music conductor, composer and wrote many programs for Christmas, VBS. She also played and taught piano, and played guitar, trombone, accordion, organ  and marimba . She was a writer, editor, encourager and good example, her husband’s concordance, prayer partner, and friend.

While her husband spoke in extended meetings, she’d tell missionary stories that would be left unfinished. Even grandmothers came back to hear the next chapter. In their pastoral and missionary ministry, they served and visited at least 16 countries, traveled thousands of miles, and slept in countless beds.

She served the Lord in ministry until March 2, 2023, when she suffered a debilitating stroke. Since then, she was grateful to the staff at Good Samaritan nursing home for their kind care. Ethel is survived by her husband, children and their spouses, fourteen grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

Memorial Services will be held at Cornerstone Bible Church in Mountain Lake, MN at 10:00 AM CST 07/12/2025.