Selma Entz

Life Story of Selma (Thiessen) Entz On April 3, 1929, Selma Thiessen was born to Peter and Kaete (Regier) Thiessen. She was the 10th of 12 children who grew up on the Thiessen farm about a mile southeast of the former Emmaus Church site. As a child, Selma played dolls with her 4 sisters and made houses with sticks and twine. She also enjoyed playing cars with her youngest brother, Floyd. As she grew older, she helped with the multitude of chores and farm work, learning skills and values that remained with her for life. When Selma was a young girl, her mother would read Bible stories and the Sunday School lessons to all the children. As she learned the Easter story, Selma couldn’t understand how people could be so cruel and inflict such pain and hatred on Jesus. She said, “I loved Jesus so much I didn’t want Him to get hurt.” While she was in grade school, she realized why Jesus had to die, and as she entered her early teen years, she gave her heart to Jesus and became His follower. She was a lifelong member of the Emmaus Church. Her brothers were well- known as the Thiessen quartet, and sang often for church services and in the community. Music played a big part in the Thiessen home, and often all the brothers and sisters sang together. Selma’s high soprano voice could be heard above the harmonies of the rest of the family! Selma attended grades 1 through 8 at the Morgan Country School, which was 3⁄4 mile east of the home place. She remembered having just one teacher in the school for all 8 grades, and a large potbelly stove in the center of the room. She began her high school education with one year in the Whitewater High School, now the site of the Remington Middle School, and then she attended Oklahoma Bible Academy for 3 years. She often talked of the train ride from Newton to Enid, Oklahoma, through Wichita. Selma had fond memories of her years at OBA, and maintained friendships with some of her classmates for most of her life. These years of school cost $75 per year, and were paid for by her sister Wilma’s job of teaching school. After graduating from high school in 1947, Selma spent the next 3 years working at home and in the community before going to college. During the summers, she loved to drive the tractor, and would often drive in front of the binder during wheat harvest. She helped neighboring families when babies arrived, and would sometimes stay for 2 weeks in their homes. When her father broke his knee cap, she helped him with his position as Emmaus Church janitor. She was also asked to teach children’s Sunday School classes and start a children’s choir, but she felt she had not been trained to do either of these things. Her oldest brother Herbert gave her two runt pigs to raise and sell for money to attend college, and in 1950 she began a 4-year course of study at Grace Bible Institute in Omaha, Nebraska. Her father wondered how he would manage the work on the farm and at the church without her help! While attending Grace, Selma worked as a nurse’s aide to help pay for college. In the summers she worked at Bethel Hospital and nursing homes in Newton, Kansas, and during the school years she worked at the county hospital in Omaha. During these college years, Herbert Entz also entered Selma’s life. They had attended Emmaus Church together since birth, but now they began to look at each other differently. During a Christmas caroling party with the youth group, Herbert made sure that Selma rode in his car. On July 4th, 1952, they had their first official date attending a patriotic celebration. Soon after that, Herbert asked Selma if she would wait for him for 2 years while he finished his 1W service in Topeka, Kansas. At that time, Selma was questioning what God wanted for her life. She felt that being a missionary might possibly be her calling. The next fall, during a Bible conference at Grace, Selma remembered the words of a speaker who said that not all those who go to Bible college will go to the mission field. God also needs people who will stay at home and support the missionaries, and be involved in the ministries and service of the local church and community. Selma felt that was the answer she needed. That night, she called Herbert and shared with him about the evening. Herbert still had one more year left in his Topeka service, so Selma went back to Grace for one final year. During the summer of 1953, Herbert officially proposed to Selma and she accepted! He insisted on proposing during the summer to avoid having to ask permission from the Dean of Students. Herbert made so many trips that year between Topeka and Omaha that he often said his car knew the way by itself. Selma graduated from Grace in May, 1954, with a music major and a missions minor. She sang with several music groups including the Grace Chorale, a ladies quartet, and a ladies trio. After graduation, she traveled with a musical ensemble for 5 weeks to the east coast, representing Grace in church concerts. Herbert and Selma were married on September 24, 1954. They moved onto a farm southwest of Whitewater, and raised 6 children there: Coleen, Cheryl, Elaine, Darrel, Leland, and Crystal. After living in the house for 38 years, they moved one mile east when Leland married and took over the farming operation. Selma enjoyed leading the children’s choirs at church for several years, and singing in the church choir. She was a member of the Christian Women’s Club in Newton for many years, and held every position on the board at one time or another! In 1983, Grace Bible Institute, then called Grace College of the Bible, chose Selma for the Alumnus of the Year award. This award recognized Selma as a representative of all the alumni who are faithful workers in their homes, communities, and churches, raising up the next generation of believers who will heed the call of God’s voice. Herbert and Selma were both active in the farm activities and the family lives of their children and 16 grandchildren. They loved to travel, and besides visiting their children in several different states and countries, they also took several trips with various farm organizations and other interests. They faithfully served Emmaus Church in various areas, teaching several Sunday School classes, becoming the first sponsors of the youth group, and forming the Missions Committee and serving on that committee for several years. Selma’s life was touched by 2 women in particular. Sister Helen Ruth Epp was an early Sunday School teacher, and Selma remembered her gentle teaching and her stick figure illustrations. Her mother-in-law, Katie Entz, also influenced Selma’s life. Even before marrying Herbert, Selma respected and appreciated Katie’s love of beauty, her love for God, and her quiet steadfast reverence for God’s Word. Katie taught a neighborhood Bible study for women, which Selma attended, and later taught when Katie passed away. Herbert and Selma also taught a neighborhood couple’s Bible study for many years. Selma was a great support for Herbert in his involvement in various leadership roles in the community and the church. She also thrived in her role as homemaker, sewing countless dresses and articles of clothing for herself and her 4 daughters, teaching them to sew, bake, and cook, entertaining many dinner and overnight guests, growing a large vegetable garden every summer, and canning and freezing food for her family and for others. Selma will be remembered by her children and her grandchildren for her faithful commitment to the Lord and to her husband, for her uncomplaining spirit of grace and service in the home, the church, and the community, and for her steadfast reliance on God and His Word. Those awaiting her in heaven are her husband Herbert, her parents, all her brothers and sisters and their spouses, and several nieces and nephews. Those remembering her life here on earth are her children and their spouses, 16 grandchildren and spouses, 20 great- grandchildren, 3 sisters-in-law and their husbands, and many nieces and nephews.