MARY BESCEC – October 3, 1930 – March 11, 2013
Sister Mary Bescec was born on October 3, 1930 in a small town in the former Yugoslavia. Her father heard the Reformation Message and he and his family soon after joined the church. When Sister Mary was 9 months old, her mother died. Her father later remarried and had another daughter, Kata.
Sister Bescec grew up during the war years when life was very difficult. She lived in a large extended family with many uncles and aunts. However, since her father had joined the church there were differences that arose with other family members and he was forced to leave if he wanted to remain faithful to the truth.
After marrying Ivan Bescec in May 1956, they wanted to build a better life together for their family, so they decided to flee Yugoslavia. They travelled on foot many days through fields and forests and finally over the mountains into Austria. There they ended up being placed in a camp for displaced persons. In the spring of 1961 things improved significantly for the Bescecs when they decided to accept Canada’s invitation and immigrate to Canada.
Sister Bescec had five children, including a daughter who died shortly after birth. We live in the hope and believe that the angels will bring her little daughter and place her in her mother’s arms on resurrection morning.
Sister Bescec was a very faithful Christian who worked very hard her entire life to both raise a family and make sure that she brought her children up the right way in the Lord. She always put the needs of others before her own with self-sacrificing love. Her house was always open to all, friends or strangers; they were always welcome.
For Sister Bescec her desire to follow Jesus was everything to her. Although she went through many difficulties and trials in life, she never lost sight of Jesus, her strength and her shield. In her final days she would struggle to speak but she would use her last breaths to talk about Jesus and how she wanted her children to follow Jesus as well, all the days of their lives. We all look and long for that day when Jesus returns, and we, if we remain faithful, will be reunited with Sister Mary Bescec again. AMEN