Daughter of Harry and Glenna Varnell

Married Ellsworth Earl Balzer on 02 May 1951 in Cook County, Illinois

________________________________________

From
www.dl-online.com
Published Wednesday, October 31, 2007:


Lois Balzer
Nov. 4, 1925-Oct. 28, 2007

Lois R. Balzer, 81, of Frazee, died Sunday, October 28, 2007 at her residence.

Lois Ruth Varnell was born to Harry and Glenna Varnell on Nov. 4, 1925 at her family's home in Chicago, Ill. She attended school in Chicago, and graduated from high school in 1943. Lois attended and graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill.

As a young person, Lois was very involved in her church and young people's group. She was challenged by several missionaries about service to the Lord in Africa. She was very drawn by their experiences. It was indelibly impressed on her that God was calling her to head that way for her future life. She didn't tell anyone for a long time, because she knew she had a long road ahead. Finally in her third year of college she wrote to her parents. They were very happy for her decision.

After college, Ruth came up to Bemidji to do missionary work, teaching release time Bible classes to elementary school children and being a counselor for camps. This counseling experience gave her a sense of what life would be like across the seas without running water or electricity. There was a small Christian College in Bemidji, Oak Hills Bible College, where she met a young man attending there who also wanted to go to Africa, so they got together.

Lois married the love of her life, Ellsworth E. Balzer, on May 4, 1951. In 1954, they went together to Sudan, East Africa to serve as missionaries with the SIM mission. They were in Doro, Sudan for 10 years. There, they worked with leprosy patients and taught Bible classes. In 1964, all the missionaries in southern Sudan were expelled because of political unrest, and the couple proceeded to Liberia, West Africa to work at radio station ELWA.

Ellsworth was the builder. Lois taught school, worked in the counseling department, taught piano lessons, and raised her family.

Lois loved entertaining and writing letters, especially since e-mail was non-existent for many years. She was a believer in Jesus Christ, and served him all her life.

Lois loved her husband and children, and very much enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren too. She was the most giving person her family has ever known. There will never be another lady quite like her.

Surviving Lois are her three daughters, Priscilla (Jim) Hinson of Frazee, Eunice (John) Zemek of Las Cruces, N.M., and Rhoda (Mike) Navage of Orlando, Fla.; one son, Nathan (Janet) Balzer of Shoreview, Minn.; 17 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one sister, Betty Frame of Indianapolis, Ind.; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Preceding Lois in death were her husband, Ellsworth Balzer; son Stephen, who died at age 16; parents, Harry and Glenna Varnell; a sister, Ednah Mae Dumper; and a brother, Fred Warner.

Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31 at the West-Kjos Funeral Home, Detroit Lakes, and continue for one hour prior to services at the church on Thursday.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, at First Baptist Church, Detroit Lakes, with the Rev. Jim Hinson officiating.

Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery, Detroit Lakes.

Casket bearers will be Ryan Hinson, Wade Hinson, Craig Hinson, Andrew Balzer, Jessica Balzer, Josh Balzer, Ben Zemek, Adele Cummings, Erin Hinson and Joanna Zemek.

Arrangements have been entrusted to West-Kjos Funeral Home, Detroit Lakes. Those wanting to share memories and condolences are invited to use the funeral home's messages of sympathy section online at www.westkjos.com.