THE COMPLETE INTERACTIVE

GRENZ FAMILY TREE

Elsie Grenz - Back

Ervin Meyer

 
 

 

 



Elsie's wedding day

Elsie Grenz Meyer

Elsie Grenz was born to Gottlieb and Christine Grenz in Artas, SD September 9, 1922.  When she was about two years of age the family moved to Napoleon.  Schools attended were napoleon High School, graduating in 1941, the Bismarck Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1944 as a registered nurse, and graduated from Simpson Bible Institute in Seattle, WA in 1950.  While employed at Children's Hospital in Oakland, CA, the Lord called her to go to Bible school where she committed her life to serve Him.

She went as a missionary to Japan under a faith mission called World Missions to Children.  In 1951 along with two co-workers they established an orphanage in Sasebo, Japan.  Their concern was to care especially for mixed blood children whose mothers were Japanese and fathers were American servicemen.  She was with the orphanage work 17 years.

She met Erv Meyer in Sasebo where he was the director of the Christian Servicemen's Center. Erv was born near Fredrick, SD, graduating from Frederick High School.  After four years (1950-54) in the Air Force (2 years in Japan) Erv felt called to full time service for the Lord and spent two and one half years at Colorado Springs with he Navigators and then attended the University of Colorado.  After graduating Erv joined Overseas Christian Servicemen's Centers, Inc. and went to Okinawa and Japan to minister to Servicemen.

Erv and Elsie were married in Sasebo, Japan February 14, 1968.  They became the directors of the Christian Servicemen's Center in Yokosuka, Japan in April of 1969.  Their ministry is to provide a "home away from home" where American servicemen come for fellowship, Bible studies, recreation, meals and overnights.

Napoleon Centennial Book 1884 - 1994

 

 
Biography of Erv Meyer

Erv was born in South Dakota. He served in the air force for four years (two years in Japan.) He then served with the Navigators in Colorado Springs for 2 years. While earning a Management Degree at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Erv was further discipled by Jesse Miller.

Biography of Elsie (Grenz) Meyer

Elsie was also born in South Dakota. She earned her Registered Nurse Degree in Bismarck, ND. After that, Elsie earned her Missions Degree at Simpson Bible Institute, Seattle WA. From 1951 to 1968 she served in Japan with World Missions to Children.

Ministry History

Erv
1961-1962 Accountant in the OCSC Home Office
1963 Kadena Christian Center working with C. P. Tarkington
1964-1967 Director of Sasebo Christian Servicemen’s Center
1967-1968 On loan to direct the Taiwan Christian Center, Taichung, Taiwan
1968 Married Elsie Grenz Erv

Erv & Elsie
1969-1988 Directed the Christian Servicemen’s Center, Yokosuka, Japan
1989-1993 Worked in the OCSC Home Office
1993-1994 On loan ministering to Servicemen and Japanese in Sasebo, Japan
1994 Retired because of Elsie’s health
1999 Elsie died

It is obvious that I will never get over the loss of my beloved Elsie. (“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the Name of the Lord.”) Strange things happen when two people are bonded as one and then pulled apart. The loss devastated me mentally and emotionally. But I am determined to go on. While Elsie was going through her five years of sad mental suffering, God gave me lessons on unconditional and sacrificial love. He is now asking me to exercise this unconditional and sacrificial love while giving spiritual help to several men. God always has every right to ask whatever He wants.

 

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