Educator.
Born at Steinfeld, Ukraine in 1922, son of Franz Klassen and Katharina Klassen, his academic studies at a university in Odessa were interrupted by the Second World War. He immigrated to Canada in 1947 and initially worked as a lumberjack at the Nipigon Paper Company in Ontario.
Later he moved to Manitoba and resided at Gretna where he attended the Mennonite Collegiate Institute and upgraded his English. From there, he moved to Winnipeg where he earned three degrees from the University of Manitoba. Following a teaching career spanning several schools, including at Prince Edward School (1953-1954), Morse Place School (1959-1960), and Angus McKay School (1967-1970), he became Principal of Salisbury School (1970-1987), after which he retired. He also taught Russian at night school and was Superintendent of Sunday School at the First Mennonite Church. He was twice married, to his first wife Agnes, and later to Mary Dyck, whom he married in 1952. The couple later adopted a daughter. He was predeceased by an infant son.
He died at Winnipeg on 23 October 2004 and was buried in the Brookside Cemetery.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 27 October 2004, page 22.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 20 February 2025
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