Lena Minnie Zepick (Ehnisz) entered the Church triumphant on November 28,
2021. She was born on June 4, 1926, on the family farm near Burstall,
Saskatchewan, Canada, to Phillip and Anna Ehnisz ("Schimpf"), German-
Russian immigrants who settled in the Canadian Prairies near the turn of the
20th century. She was one of 12 children, seven girls and five boys with one of
the boys passing away as a young child.
Lena grew in wisdom and stature, finding favor with family and friends, excelling
at Richville School in Burstall, and worshipping at Burstall Hoffnung (Hope)
Church, where she actively participated in Sunday School and worship services
where she played piano and sang trios with sisters Viola and Mabel.
After she graduated from Richville School in 1944, Lena enrolled in Regina Bible
College in Regina, Saskatchewan. At a church social event, she met a dashing
young sailor who had returned from World War II, Reuben Zepick of Nokomis,
Saskatchewan. They married in 1948 and moved to Bulyea, Saskatchewan,
where Reuben began his career in education, teaching in Bulyea, then serving as
school Principal at Govan, Saskatchewan, and finally completing his career in
education as a teacher in Calgary, Alberta. During these years, Lena nurtured
the growing family—a challenging handful of three rambunctious boys—and kept
the family on task, with her prayers, penny-pinching, and words of
encouragement when times were tough.
In 1967, Lena and Reuben left Canada for the tiny hamlet of Long Point, Illinois,
as Reuben answered God's call to enter the ministry and enrolled in the Master
of Divinity Program at Evangelical Theological Seminary in Naperville, Illinois, a
90-minute drive from Long Point. While Reuben was away at seminary during
the week, Lena lived the life of a single mother—cooking, cleaning, helping Dean
and Kent with homework, finding time to toss a football or baseball, and doing
her best to maintain communication with oldest son Lyle who had remained
behind in Calgary. She served within in the ladies groups in the congregations
and supported the ministry where she could.
In 1970, the family returned to Canada as Reuben pastored Richmond Park
Evangelical Church in Edmonton, Alberta, and then in 1976, Lena, Reuben, and
Kent permanently returned to the American Midwest, with Reuben serving
Indiana United Methodist congregations in the towns of Pleasant Lake, Forest,
and Colfax.
In 1986, Lena and Reuben retired to Wichita, Kansas, where eldest son Lyle
resides to this day, and began part-time ministerial work at Epworth United

Methodist Church, and later participating as active members at Calvary United
Methodist Church.
Lena is predeceased by her husband Reuben, her parents, Phillip and Anna
Ehnisz, ten siblings, and one grandson David Zepick. She is survived by two
siblings, Lilly and Viola; three sons, Lyle (Debi), Dean (Debbie), and Kent
(Rebecca); daughter in law, Carolyn Zepick; seven grandchildren, Rebecca
White, Timothy Zepick (Sarah), Melanie DeMarce (Tory), Aaron Zepick (Leah),
Daniel Zepick (Beth-Anne), Caleb Zepick (Abigail), and Connor Zepick; and
eleven great grandchildren.
Lena loved to sing, play piano, crochet, and read, especially her beloved Bible.
In her later years, she faced health problems that limited her activities, but we will
always remember her as a woman of prayer; a devoted wife, mother, and
grandmother; and as a woman of great humor, who could laugh with others and
laugh at herself. She fought the good fight, kept the faith, and awaits her crown
of righteousness.