Gladys Kampars

Gladys Klassen Kampars was born May 31, 1919 to parents Peter P. Klassen and Gertrude Bergman Klassen at Mountain Lake, Minnesota. She died February 22, 2006 in Fresno, CA. She grew up in Mt. Lake, the youngest of three sisters Elvira Janzen, and Esther Odden both now deceased. She faithfully attended First Mennonite Church and at a very young age accepted Christ into her life. Since she first gave her life to the Lord she had always responded at missionary meetings as being willing to serve the Lord abroad. Her formal education was at Wheaton, Illinois where she graduated in 1943 with a Christian Ed. Degree. She continued her education with a year of graduate studies at the New Yourk Biblical Seminary. From there she joined Grace Bible Institute in Omaha as one of the faculty, teaching preparatory English and Greek and serving as the Dean of Women. After her two years at Grace she made preparations for the mission field departing for India in the spring of 1947. Under the Mennonite Mission Board she served faithfully in the central part of India in an area called Champa. Three years later, she left that mission board and married Robert Kampars, a widower of a few years and father of one daughter, age 8 at that time. Robert and Gladys were united on marriage January 9, 1950. She joined his ministry of village work in the northern part of India. To this union, Martha Jeanette was born in July of 1956 and in April of 1960 Mary Anna was born. Robert and Gladys Kampars served in India for many years. They spent their retirement years in Fresno, California where Robert died in April of 2004. Playing the cello in college and in community orchestras was one of her passions along with her art work. She used these talents on the mission field and continued her painting almost until her death. Her family and church members have been enriched by her work. Gladys leaves behind step-mother, Margaret and her husband Will Schroeder of Mountain Lake, MN, three daughters, Ruth Deckert of Clearwater, FL.,, Martha Bierce of Eugene, OR and MaryAnna Kampars of Fresno, CA. and 6 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren