Anna Stutzman Janzen, 74, died March 19, 2024, in Newport News, Va. She was born Feb. 23, 1950, in Arthur, Ill., to Levi W. and Lydia D. (Yoder) Stutzman and happily grew up on a dairy farm.
Following her graduation from Arthur High School, she attended Rosedale Bible Institute in Irwin, Ohio, and served with Mennonite Voluntary Service in Jackson, Miss. After her term of service, she resided in Jackson to become a licensed respiratory technician. These skills and experiences helped support her through college at Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, Va., where she earned a degree in elementary education. She taught at Warwick River Christian School in Newport News, where her loving spirit, gentle voice and infectious humor endeared her to hundreds of schoolchildren and their parents.
She joined Huntington Mennonite Church, where she found lifelong Christian love and support. Encouragement from the congregation helped her to pursue a master of arts in theological studies degree at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. She used her newfound knowledge to serve as a youth minister at Warwick River Mennonite Church and the associate pastor at Huntington Mennonite Church. She also served with the Eastern District of Virginia Mennonite Conference and VMC’s Faith and Life Commission. A highlight of her ministries was baptizing young girls when they came to Christian faith.
An engaging, loving and forgiving wife and friend, she was courageous in undergoing a liver transplant in 2002. The 22 years since then gave her fulfillment in returning to the teaching profession and time to enter pastoral work.
She is survived by her husband of 28 years, Jay Milton Janzen; stepdaughter Erika Janzen of Kaneohe, Hawaii; stepson Jacob (Tressy) Janzen of Arlington, Va.; a granddaughter and a great-granddaughter; sisters Viola Stutzman of Arthur, Mary Ellen (Danny) Rowe of Louisville, Ky., and Sarah (Virgil) Kauffman of Arthur; brothers Willis Stutzman of Arthur, Paul (Carol) Stutzman of Arthur and Nelson (Karen) Stutzman of Conrath, Wis.; and in-laws Lois (Lyle) Preheim of Freeman, S.D., Ruthanne (Leo) Heatwole, James Melvin Janzen and Carla (Sherwin) Jacobs, all of Harrisonburg, Rebecca (Jack) Fullmer of Nampa, Idaho, Deanna (Marlo) Kauffman of Goshen, Ind., and Margaret (Mustapha) Abderrahmane of Oakland, Calif.