Heinrich Neufeld Klassen

Heinrich Neufeld Klassen was born on July 28, 1938 in Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico to Johan and Sarah (Neufeld) Klassen. Heinrich passed away on July 8, 2023, at the age of 84. He found his peace at his home in Lookeba, OK surrounded by the family he loved so dearly. Heinrich grew up in Mexico, where he began working the land at an early age. He graduated from school at 13 years old and continued to assist in his family’s farming operations as well as several other jobs within the community. He married Aganetha Wiebe Guenther on August 13, 1961 in Campo 14, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico. Heinrich lived, worked, and raised a family in Mexico until 1978, when the family immigrated to the United States and settled in Binger, Oklahoma. Upon arrival, Heinrich quickly went to work to do what he did best, providing for his family. He first worked as a welder for Opitz, Inc., welding silos that still stand against the Binger skyline to this day. In 1981, he relocated his family to Lookeba, Oklahoma, where he would live for the rest of his life. He left Optiz Inc. and accepted a position at the Lookeba CO-OP elevator where he worked until 1986, he then transitioned to S&S Fuel, working there until 1996. Heinrich never lived an 8-5 lifestyle, in addition to his other jobs, Heinrich worked the land. Behind his family, farming was the second greatest love of Heinrich’s life and he was still farming until the very end. for most of his life. While he lived in Mexico, he raised horses and later oxen; he worked the land , first using traditional methods from as far back as the 19th century and eventually transitioning to 21st century styles; no one loved a tractor more than Heinrich. Heinrich was a talented blacksmith, welder, and engineer, a jack of all trades (there was nothing he couldn’t do or learn to do) overall, he was most certainly a self-made man. His children remember him building a machine that made rope and then teaching them how to make it. He could make anything and often did. Whenever something would break down while he was working, his answer was to use whatever you had to make it work. He didn’t believe in just going to the store and buying something. Heinrich had some accidents over the years where he almost lost his life; he almost lost his leg in Mexico and when he did not have the means to pay a hospital to amputate it, a stranger offered a home remedy which successfully saved his leg. He almost froze to death early in his marriage, but his sweet Aganetha nursed him to recovery.  He survived a farming equipment accident while working with his son Jake, only 12 years old at the time. Jake, the only other person with Heinrich, managed to load him in the back of the truck to take him to town. When Heinrich slid off of the truck on the way, Jack loaded him back up with the help of a passerby. Jake was sure his dad was dead and he didn’t want to take the chance of going up another hill and losing his dad again, so he parked in front of the peanut CO-OP and ran to get his mom. However, when Jake returned with his mother, Heinrich was not there. Frantically, they went inside the office to see if anyone knew where Heinrich went only to find him sitting there drinking coffee with a friend. He had many hobbies; woodworking, playing with his horses, checking his cattle, driving his tractor (and teaching his grandchildren to drive it), and cooking crazy hot and spicy food. He whistled all the time, was a great advisor, always ready to listen and help, taught all his children and grandchildren to drink coffee ensuring he made a family of lifelong coffee drinkers. He played harmonica, accordion, and the fiddle. Heinrich’s shoes are impossibly big, impossible to fill. He will be missed dearly by his family and his entire community, where he was a giant among men.  

Survivors Include: his wife, Aganetha Klassen of Lookeba, OK, his children: Henry Klassen and wife Jamie of Binger, OK, John Klassen of Verden, OK, Anita Franklin and husband Carey of Lookeba, OK, Mary Harris and husband John of McLoud, OK, Abraham Klassen and wife Sabrina of Weatherford, OK, Frank Klassen and wife Amanda of Lookeba, OK, Raymond Klassen and wife Becca of Lookeba, OK, Sara Pendergraft and husband Johnny of Fairview, OK, Jake Klassen and partner Tricia of Sickles, OK, and Pete Klassen and wife Kimberly of Arcadia, OK; 31 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; his sister, Elizabeth Klassen of Ontario, Canada; as well as many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends

Heinrich was preceded in death by his parents, Johan and Sarah Klassen, 2 children, 1 daughter-in-law, 1 grandson-in-law, 2 great-grandsons, 7 brothers, and 1 sister.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: The Gideons International Processing Center, P.O. Box 97251
Washington, DC 20090-7251 or www.gideons.org/donate

Services: Sickles Community Church, 10:00 AM, Wednesday, July 12, 2023, Lookeba, OK

Officiating: Rev. Mike Davis and Rev. Tom Clifton

Burial:  Lookeba Cemetery following Services

Services  under the direction of Turner Funeral Home, Binger, Oklahoma. Condolences may be sent to the family at turnerfuneralhomes@gmail.com, or you can find us on facebook.com (Turner Funeral Homes).

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