Richard Janzen

Richard Frank Janzen, of Butterfield, MN passed away on January 12, 2023, at Pleasant View Good Samaritan Center in Saint James, MN.  He was 93.

Richard was born in Lustre, Montana to Peter and Aganetha (Wall) Janzen on April 6, 1929.  He accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior as a child and was baptized upon confession of his faith in his youth.  Richard started school in Mora, Minnesota. After three years in Mora, the family returned to the Mountain Lake area, where Richard completed his education in the country school south of Mountain Lake.  During the war years, labor was short and he was not encouraged to remain in school.  After completing eighth grade, he happily left school to take on more responsibility on the family farm.

Richard was drafted for military service between 1954-1957.  He registered and was granted status as a conscientious objector (1-W); he went to work as an orderly in a hospital in Lincoln, NE.  It was during this time that he met Darlene (Siebert) Janzen, who he married on May 6, 1958 in Henderson, NE.  Richard returned to the family farm in Butterfield upon completion of his 1-W service, and continued farming until the spring of 2022.

Richard and Darlene were blessed with four children.  Together, they instilled in their children the value of work, good stewardship and a love for God and His Word. He was a wonderful model and testimony of faith, discipline and giving God the glory.

On February 14, 2022, Richard was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.  In lieu of treatment, he elected hospice care.  That care, along with the support of his children, God’s help, and a daily exercise regimen, enabled him to live an independent life in his home through December 2022.  On January 9, 2023, with his physical health rapidly deteriorating, he moved into Pleasant View Good Samaritan Center.  His family is grateful to Mayo Clinic hospice-especially nurse Ashley--and to the staff of Pleasant View for their wonderful care for him.  In addition, the family is very thankful for all who prayed for him and visited him in the past year.

Richard is survived by his children, Cemlyn (Russell) Larsen of Kerrville, TX, Tamra (Charles) Hammell of Constableville, NY, Doyle (Paula) Janzen of Butterfield, MN, Nathan (Kari) Janzen of Centerville, MN; grandchildren, Erika (Arin) Reyna of San Antonio, TX, Rick Nelson of Salcha, AK, Ramzi (Lauren) Arbid of Chicago, IL, Jeremy Arbid of Chicago, IL, Anika (Timothy) Schoonhoven of Pierre, SD, Alecia (Jonathan) Nelson of Richfield, MN, Derek Janzen of Cedar Rapids, IA; great-grandchildren, Ruben and Adele Reyna, Hendrik and Arthur Schoonhoven, Claire and Alice Arbid; 2 sisters, Elizabeth Whisenhant of Fairbanks, AK, and Roberta Gingerich of Moundridge, KS.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Darlene Janzen; brother, Rudy (Marie) Janzen; brothers-in-law, James Whisenhant, James Gingerich; sisters, Salome (Peter) Penner and Jacqueline (Leonard) Hiebert.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.