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Gertrude Friesen
Date of Passing: Jan 20, 2014
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryGERTRUDE FRIESEN
October 23, 1921 to December 20, 2014
With sadness, we announce the passing of our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Gertrude Friesen, in the Morris Hospital on Saturday, December 20, 2014 surrounded by all her children.
Lovingly remembered by five daughters and two sons: Dorothy (Menno) Kroeker, Rosenort; Alvira, Morris; Diana (Wayne) Fields, Winnipeg; Wes (Alvina), Rosenort; Donelda, Winnipeg; Stan, Riverside; Val (Alf) Dyck, Winkler. Fond memories from grandchildren: Don Kroeker, David (Sheila) Kroeker (Kiahana, Joshua), Leanne (Trevor) Olfert (Ethan, Tait), Heidi (Bern)Schellenberg (Kai, Ryleigh, Nevaeh), Amy (Eric) Unrau (Liam, Koen, Finley), Jillayne (Jared) Dueck (Emmett), Todd Fields, Lana (Dallas) Wilde (Tyler, Jared, Sierra). She is also survived by one sister Martha (Jack) Hiebert, and sisters-in-law, Helen Dueck, Ella Dueck and Betty Friesen. Mom was predeceased by her husband, Peter L. Friesen; her daughter, Myrna; her parents and eight siblings.
Her faith was made public with her baptism on November 15, 1939. She encouraged the ministries of her husband and children, seeking to be supportive in their successes and failures.
On July 4, 1948 she married Peter L. Friesen, moved to Rosenhoff and became an instant mother to three girls. Her roles included farmer's wife, pastor's wife, mother to eight children, and co-manager of Riverside Economy Shop. The shop started on their yard and after a year it moved to Morris serving the communities for 29 years.
Her delights at home included the well-kept vegetable and flower gardens, sewing her children's clothes, reading, writing, cooking and history. Our home issued wonderful aromas from her kitchen. Her sugary cinnamon rolls, drippy jam pie, and prune-baked chicken will be remembered as Mom's signature of creative love!
Mom loved books and discovered the Goodwill in Winnipeg as a great source to purchase books. One Christmas she gifted Mennonite Girls Can Cook, which she proudly and secretly obtained for each household and this year each great grandchild received Moni and the Goat Boy and Other Stories by Johanna Spyri, her own childhood favorite.
A legacy of 95 scrapbooks containing a variety of general news items remains as well as recipe collections, a translated story from German to English, and antique fiction books. Journal entries expressed her thankfulness for living in a peaceful country. She never experienced any war torn countries but through her daily exposure to the Free Press and historical interest she knew the gift we enjoy.
She was ingenious in her gift ideas and these included perogies, pie shells, knitted mittens and toques, and cozy blankets. Winter evenings were spent sewing school bags, burp pads, receiving blankets and knitting baby caps for charities and the great grandchildren.
Her last game of Skipbo has been played, her last Word Find puzzle completed, many books yet to be read, her last Christmas tutjes gifted, her last phone calls made , and the Daily Bread pages earmarked December 16. We children rise up and call her blessed. As mom now rests in her eternal home, we say in her words found in many diary entries, "Good Nite" and see you in the morning.
As published in The Carillon on Jan 13, 2015