Marie Wiens

Marie Wiens, age 100 of Mountain Lake, MN, died Monday, January 10, 2011, at Boutwell Assisted Living Center in Stillwater. In lieu of flowers, donations to Cornerstone Bible Church are preferred. Please send to 1019 Prince Street, Mountain Lake, MN 56159. Marie Martha Wall Wiens was born in Henderson, Nebraska in 1910 to Abraham C. Wall and Margaretha (Wiens) Wall. She moved to Litchfield, Nebraska as a small girl. A few years later the family, including brother Cornelius and sister Mathilda, homesteaded at Wolf Point, Montana. Marie accepted Jesus as her Saviour at age 10. She grew spiritually year by year through study of God's Word, prayer and Scripture memorization. During this spiritual maturation she was conscious of the spiritual battles all Christians encounter and the times on her knees before Jesus were also key to her awareness that He was and is her strength. Marie was baptized at age 14 and joined the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church in Lustre, Montana. Marie was educated in the Lustre area country schools and also attended the Lustre Bible Academy. At age 17 she started to teach children in Sunday School and loved this experience leading them to the love of Jesus. She was a natural teacher, and would continue using these gifts as a Women's Bible Study Leader, Sunday School Teacher, and Choir Director; jobs that were wonderfully complimentary to her husband's role as pastor. In 1934 Marie married Henry Peter Wiens in Lustre, Montana. They both felt the call of God for service and moved to Wheeler, Montana, a shanty-town that grew up around the Fort Peck Dam project. Marie and Henry worked with children while supporting themselves and Marie continued to teach Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. In 1936 Marie and Henry adopted their oldest son William Walter at the age of 5. John Elmer and Carol Jean were born during the next 5 years. After those 5 years the young couple moved to Jansen, Nebraska to help the local Mennonite church English language program. Two years later Marie, Henry and their three children moved to St. Paul, MN where Henry attended St. Paul Bible Institute. Here, Marie focused on being the Mother in their growing family, but managed to find time to take piano lessons as well. Harold James was born between the time in St. Paul and the family's next move which was to Lustre, Montana. Marie and Henry initially served in the Lustre Bible Academy. A call to serve in a pastoral role in the Evangelical Mennonite church of Lustre ensued and Marie was once again engaged in Sunday School teaching and choir. Henry Allen was born during this ministry. After 8 years in Montana the family moved to Stuartburn, Canada, again in a pastoral role. Marie and Henry's last pastoral ministry took place during the 20 years they served in the Randville Bible Chapel in Randville, Michigan. In 1979 Marie and Henry retired and moved to Mountain Lake, Minnesota where they continued to serve God in many ways. After Henry's death in 1994, Marie moved to the Laker Apartments in Mountain Lake where she made many friends and was very happy. In 2010 she moved to an apartment at Presbyterian Homes in Inver Grove Heights where she again made many friends and was cared for tenderly and lovingly. Her last few weeks were spent in the Memory Care facility of Presbyterian Homes Boutwells Landing in Stillwater, MN. During Marie's last year of life she had several short term stays in hospitals and quickly became a favorite of the nursing staffs in each one. Marie was preceded in death by her mother Margaretha Wall, father A. C. Wall, brother Cornelius Wall, husband Henry P. Wiens, and grandson Keith Wiens. She is survived by her sister Mathilda Schultz, daughter Carol Lundborg, sons Bill, John, Harold and Henry, grandsons Jim Wiens, Craig Wiens, Kevin Wiens and Steve Wiens, granddaughters Debbie Hooper, Karen Scarlett, Lisa Wiens Heinsohn, Lora Wiens, RuthAnn Lundborg, Julie Kraai, Stephanie Wiens, JoAnna Deming and Carolyn Kuhfuss and several great-grandsons, great-granddaughters and great-great grandchildren. Marie Wiens' life was filled with family and service to God in prayer, teaching and music. She prayed for family, friends and co-workers in ministry on a daily basis. Marie was a Christian woman who lived by faith and she exercised her faith on her knees in prayer. Marie Martha Wiens went to be with her Lord and Saviour on January 10, 2011 after a brief illness.