ADELINE AMELIA KLASSEN

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ADELINE AMELIA KLASSEN (nee KINDZIERSKI) With family by her side, Adeline Amelia Klassen at age 81 passed away on Thursday, December 18, 2014 at the Grace Hospital in Winnipeg from complications due to a massive stroke. Left to cherish Adeline's memories are her sons Glenn and Kenneth (Nuo Yang). She was predeceased by her daughter Susan, who died in infancy, and her husband of 57 years, Abram (Abe) Klassen who died in August 2013. As the youngest in a very large family, Adeline was nicknamed "Dolly". She will be missed by sisters Rose Lucibello of Guelph and Victoria Owchar of Thunder Bay as well as brother Bert (Flo) Kindzierski of Winnipeg. Adeline was predeceased by her parents, Bartholemew and Pauline (nee Kubish) Kindzierski along with her siblings Charles, Bernice, Valerie, Frank, Mary, Steffanie, Olga, John, Joe, Edward and Victor. Although born in Winnipeg, Adeline was raised in Arborg where her family operated a combined grocery and furniture store and then later a trucking company known as Arborg Transfer. Upon her marriage to Abe, Adeline returned to Winnipeg where she resided until her last day. Being a member of a large family in Manitoba's Interlake region during the Great Depression had a profound impact on Adeline's character later in life. It imbued her with a spirit of thrift and conservation long before environmentalism became fashionable. From composting and recycling to tending a large organic garden and favouring public transit rather than owning a family car, Adeline was in many ways ahead of her time. Adeline's many talents also extended to more traditional activities, particularly baking, knitting and crocheting. Another defining aspect of Adeline's character was her unquenchable thirst for knowledge. No scrap of paper in her household was safe from being filled with careful, handwritten notes from her research on favourite topics such as health and nutrition, home design, ancient history or exploring her belief in God. Adeline did have weaknesses, especially for collecting things including glass and ceramic knick knacks, stuffed animals, songs by Hank Williams and back issues of the Winnipeg Free Press (she claimed that she wanted to save the recipes). Adeline also had a fondness for fashion (brighter the better) and curly hair. From a health perspective, Adeline's journey through life was not always easy. Her wish to remain in her home rather than an institution during her final years was made possible by the extraordinary constant care and loving attention provided by her eldest son Glenn with support from the Manitoba Home Care Program. A cremation has taken place. A private celebration of Adeline's life will take place at a later date when she is laid to rest with her daughter Susan and husband Abe. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in "Dolly's" memory to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba or to a charity of your choice. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me happy, when skies are grey You never know dear, how much I love you Please don't take my sunshine away"

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 27, 2014