Obituary of Helen Loewen

 

September 12, 1921 - December 17, 2023

102 Years

Our Mom, Helen Loewen was born Helen Sawatzky on September 12, 1921, in Osterwick, Russia.  She came to Canada with her parents in 1923. The family moved around a lot for the first two years in Canada and then settled in the south end of Neuanlage, which became the Sawatzky family farm.

For mom, being the oldest in her family, there was never a shortage of work. While very young, she helped with the cooking, cleaning, washing, sewing, canning, gardening, and milking, even handling a team of horses when plowing fields.  So she considered it a real privilege to be able to attend Rosthern Bible School for 3 years after finishing elementary school.

 

Mom was baptized on June 2, 1941, by Rev. David Toews. She was married to David Loewen on October 16, 1943, in a ceremony performed by Rev. Johann H. Janzen in the first building that housed the Neuanlage Mennonite church. Mom and Dad moved to Dad’s parents farm east of Blumenthal.  When Dad’s parents moved to Hague a few years later our parents took over the farm and lived there for 42 years until they too moved to Hague in 1985.  It was on the farm that they raised their eight children through the many lean but happy years.

 

After Dad passed away in 2003, Mom lived in the house in Hague for another 11 years until she needed more than daily assistance and moved to the nursing home in Rosthern.

 

Mom was very adept at taking notes at functions like special services, weddings, and funerals.  She had learned this skill in communicating during services with her sister Nettie, who was deaf.  After some of the children moved out of the area, she would keep them up to date by sending letters with detailed notes of special services.

 

She will be fondly remembered for her practical humour, her integrity, and strong sense of duty. She was legendary for her huge garden, cooking and sewing skills, and unwavering hospitality. 

 

Mom was predeceased by her husband, David, and two daughters; Christina Wiebe and Erna Loewen-Rudgers; granddaughter Samara Loewen-Rudgers; mother Maria (Funk) Sawatzky; father George P. Sawatzky; brothers and sisters-in-law George and Helen Sawatzky, Jake and Tena Sawatzky; brothers John Sawatzky, Frank Sawatzky; brothers-in-law Peter Neudorf, Bill L. Neudorf, Tom Neufeld and Bill Z. Neudorf.

 

Mom is survived by her children Dan (Carol) Loewen, Irvin (Mary) Loewen, Harold (Lynn) Loewen, Elsie (Garth) Doell, Dorothy (Vern) Hamm, Ed (Louise) Loewen; 29 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and 1 great, great-grandchild; sons-in-law Bill Wiebe, Larry Loewen-Rudgers; sisters Marie Neudorf, Tena Neudorf, Nettie Neufeld, Alma Neudorf; brothers Pete (Tena) Sawatzky, Dick (Alma) Sawatzky; sister-in-law Carol Sawatzky and their families.

 

 

Livestream link to watch Helen Loewen Funeral Service (click here)

 

FUNERAL SERVICE

Friday, December 22, 2023

2:00 P.M.

Grace Mennonite Church

50 Pembroke Road

Neuanlage, SK 

 

Public Viewing will be held from 1:00 - 2:00 pm

at church, prior to the start of the service.

 

INTERMENT

Hague Cemetery

 

 

 

Arrangements entrusted to Funk's Funeral Home, Rosthern, SK

 

 

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