Obituaries

John Baerg passed away Apr. 26. He was born July 25, 1908 at Apanlee estate, Alexanderkrone, Ukraine. The family fled frequently during the Russian Revolution. When John was 11, his father died, leaving his mother and 8 children. The family immigrated to Kitchener, Ont., later buying a farm in southern Manitoba. At 11, he accepted Christ. At 23, he recommitted himself, reading the Bible intensively. He was baptized and joined Arnaud (Man.) MB Church in 1931. He attended Winkler (Man.) Bible School for 3 years. Graduating in 1935, he then taught 8 years at a Bible school in Steinbach, Man. In 1937 he was ordained in Arnaud MB Church. In 1941 he married Martha Neufeld of Steinbach. After the birth of their first child, they moved to Kansas. He earned a B.A. and B.Th. from Tabor College while pastoring Ebenfeld MB Church, Hillsboro. He pastored Mountain Lake (Minn.) MB Church 1950-58, Virgil (Ont.) MB Church 1958-76 and Clearbrook MB Church, Abbotsford, B.C., 1976-82. He is remembered as a man of great Christian faith. Preaching the Word of God, teaching and leading Bible studies were his gifts, and he used them for God's glory. They retired to Virgil, where he preached occasionally, gardened and visited friends. His health deteriorated through a series of minor strokes. His memory faded, but his commitment to the Lord and his family remained strong. He continued to pray and read Scripture. He is mourned by Martha; children Ruth Wiebe of Surrey, B.C., Waldo of Brampton, Ont., Elfrieda Buschman of Newark, Calif., Ted of London, Ont. and Betti Mace of Virgil; and 9 grandchildren. The funeral was Apr. 30 in Cornerstone Community Church, Virgil, with Herman Neufeld ministering.

Jacob Regier passed away Mar. 17. He was born Dec. 3, 1914 to Johann and Elizabeth Regier in Margenau, Siberia. His father was a lay minister. In 1929 the family moved to Germany, then homesteaded in southern Brazil. He accepted Christ, was baptized and joined the MB church. He soon was choir director. In 1941 he married Annie Wiens Loepp. After 11 years, they resettled near Bage, Brazil. He was choir director for 12 years. In 1964 they immigrated to Canada and joined Virgil (Ont.) MB Church, where he led congregational singing and organized a German choir. Choral singing was his love; it served as an expression of his faith, and became a way to communicate with him when he could no longer speak as a result of a stroke. In 1992 he moved to Pleasant Manor, where he continued to participate musically. After retirement, he visited Brazil, and his birthplace in 1993. In 1997 he suffered his second stroke and moved to Tabor Manor. Though he could not communicate verbally, his smile and outstretched arm greeted visitors. He is mourned by children Ernie of St. Catharines, Ont., Henry of Leamington, Ont., John of St. Agatha, Ont., Annaliese Sauer of St. Catharines, Gertrude Wilkinson of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and Ingrid Flaming of Waterloo, Ont.; 10 grandchildren; and 1 sister. The funeral was Mar. 20 in Cornerstone Community Church, Virgil, with Henry Regier ministering.

Elizabeth Reimer passed away Mar. 4. She was born Feb. 18, 1889 to Jacob and Susanna Toews in Steinfeld, Ukraine. Her father managed an estate where she received a good education from tutors. At 19, she was baptized in the river in Molotschna. The family moved to Crimea, where she married Jacob Reimer. He was conscripted in World War I, serving as a forester east of Moscow. She joined him, returning home for the birth of their second child. Jacob returned, and in 1929 they fled to escape deportation to Siberia. Jacob was taken in 1937 and never heard from again; son Victor was taken in February 1938; son Edgar was taken in October 1938; and her youngest son was forced to leave in 1941 when the German army advanced. She fled to Poland in 1943, then Austria, Germany, and finally to Canada in 1948. She went to Saskatoon, then joined daughters Elsie and Gerda in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. She enjoyed looking after her grandchildren. After Gerda died, she moved to Tabor Manor in 1989. She was thankful, always seeing the positive side and never complaining. Her tranquility despite much sorrow was evident in her testimony: "I knew I was sheltered securely in the arms of my faithful Jesus." She is mourned by daughters Elizabeth Shultz of Kitchener, Ont. and Elsie Istchenko of Niagara-on-the-Lake; 19 grandchildren; and 5 great-grandchildren. The funeral was Mar. 6 in Cornerstone Community Church, Virgil, Ont., with Aaron Schmidt ministering.

Katie Heidebrecht passed away May 14. She was born July 22, 1899 to Bernhard and Susanna Fast in Russia. She attended a "poor school". Later, the family moved to Davlekanovo, where there was a Mennonite "continuation school". She then attended high school in Ufa and the in Davlekanovo. The communists shut down the school, and she became a private tutor. She was taught at home and school about Jesus, and she believed, but Matthew 10:22 left her restless, wondering if she could endure to the end. After hearing the minister speak on Isaiah 63:1, she realized that God would help her to endure. She was baptized Aug. 13, 1924 and joined the MB church. In 1925 the family moved to Canada. She worked as a maid in wealthy homes. For 10 years, she was a cook in a nurses' home. In 1946 she moved to Greendale, B.C., to be near her ailing brother. After he died, she moved back to Winnipeg. She worked 12 years as a cook for the Salvation Army's Sunset Lodge and led a ladies' Bible study. She then was a cook at Menno Hospital, Abbotsford, B.C. In 1966 she returned to Winnipeg to give her sister a break from running the family household. She married David Heidebrecht May 10, 1969, seeing it as a call from God to help him. They lived in Greendale, and she joined Greendale Mennonite Church on Oct. 10, 1969. David became ill in 1984. In 1986 he moved to Menno Hospital and she to Menno seniors' home. He died Sept. 27, 1986. She affirmed that God had graciously led and carried her all her life. Her funeral was May 17 in Menno Hospital chapel, with Don Enns and Gerhard Peters ministering.

Rolland Loyer of Farnham, Que. passed away Apr. 17 of cancer. He was born Apr. 15, 1919 in St-Michel de Wentworth, Que. He worked on the family farm. He married Jeanne d’Arc Vallerand Nov. 4, 1943, a marriage blessed with 4 sons and 4 daughters. Being adventurous, in 1949 they moved to Alberta, where he worked for a farmer. He found a French Bible in an old house that had been turned into a chicken coop. He read it cover to cover twice, often into the night. He was convicted of sin and found salvation in Jesus. He began to witness to others despite his limited English. They moved to St-Narcisse-de-Champlain, Que. in 1953 and Abitibi, Que. in 1957. After 11 years of growing spiritually, in 1964 he became a missionary with the Shantymen. He visited forestry camps in Quebec, northern Ontario and the French part of New Brunswick, showing evangelistic films and presenting the plan of salvation. Jeanne d’Arc died in 1969, leaving him with 4 small children. He married Thérèse Paquette, a teacher, Mar. 28, 1970. Their ministry grew, witnessing in forestry camps, villages and isolated areas. The family travelled in a bus called "Ciné-Mobile", showing Christian films to attract people and then presenting the gospel, especially along the North Shore and in the Gaspé region. He retired at 75, but continued to witness. He is remembered for his servant’s heart, his love for lost souls and his desire to encourage young believers. For many years, he had been a member of the MB church in St-Jerome, Que.

Adrienne Roch Giroux

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