Obituary of Olga Helen Regehr

 

May 14, 1930 - October 29, 2024

94 Years

Olga Helen (Epp) Regehr, daughter of Henry and Sarah (Klassen) Epp, was born May 14, 1930, in Kerrobert, Saskatchewan. Olga spent her childhood years on the farm in the Major area. She grew up with her two sisters and five brothers.  During her school years Olga participated in gymnastics, softball and track and field.  Olga and her sisters excelled in track and field events.  Playing league ball Olga was the pitcher and her sister Ann was the back catcher. Olga attended Rosthern Bible School in 1947. Olga worked at the Major Post Office which had a telephone office. She issued drivers licenses, sold licenses, did village taxes and audited Co-op books. She would walk three miles to and from the Post Office.

 

In 1951, her mother died so at the age of 19, she was left to take over the responsibilities of the house. Dad said it was her responsibility and she could not get married. This involved cooking meals and baking 12 loaves of bread at a time, which she had never done. Olga then got a job with Sask-Tel in Kerrobert and her father drove her there four days a week. This left her with three days off at home to cook meals, garden, and yarn socks with her younger sister, Sarah.

 

Olga met the love of her life, Vern Regehr, and they were married on October 11, 1953, at the Superb Mennonite Church. Ron, the first of three sons, was born a year later. The family lived in the teacherage in Superb, which was an old box car. Many times they had to rip their blankets off the wall because of the frost, much to little Ron’s amusement. Dennis and Dale (the twins) were born three years later.

 

Olga had many careers and the family moved 16 times due to Vern’s work with the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. While in Superb, Olga drove school bus and took the boys with her. For 50 years, she sold Avon products. She thoroughly loved visiting with customers. She won prizes at every monthly meeting!  The family moved to Rosthern and Olga was a secretary for the “Der Bote” newspaper at The Valley News, she taught Sunday School, was the secretary for Boy Scouts, Post Office Clerk, and manager of the concession booth at the town rink, where the boys lived. In 1972, the family moved to Whitewood, SK. where she sold World Book Encyclopedias, was the secretary for Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Farm Service Center, and was a choir Sunday School teacher. In 1975, they moved to Ogema, SK. where she was a bookkeeper for a garage company and was a choir Sunday School Teacher. Lashburn was the next move in 1976 where Vern and Olga sold Amway and soon became silver producers. They won a trip to Hawaii and took the whole family in 1981.  Olga started a Friendship Bible Coffee which had 18 different leaders and 88 participants. She conducted choir for church and organized and hosted an Al-a-Teen group. Helping children was her calling and she started working at Lashburn School in Special Education and was there for 14 years. It was the most rewarding job she ever had! The students she worked with phoned her regularly up to her passing. The last move with Saskatchewan Wheat Pool took them to Saskatoon in 1990 where Vern managed the new concrete elevator at Martensville and Olga enrolled herself in a hair dressing course and a reflexology course at Marvel School. In 1992, Vern retired from Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and quickly after that they started work at Camp Kadesh where he was the head of maintenance (Vern could fix anything) and Olga was the head cook. In 1993, they celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary at Cornerstone Church.

 

A lovely corner apartment came available at Bethany Manor in 2010 so they began the process of downsizing. Vern passed away from cancer on February 27, 2011, and life was never the same without her Vern. Olga began getting involved helping at a daycare down the street, playing guitar in the Bethany Manor Orchestra, and volunteering at the Village Green Thrift Shop. She also played piano, organ, ukulele, accordion, and harmonica.

 

Her heart began to fail so the doctors put in a pacemaker in 2017. She had both knees replaced at the same time and in 2019 she had hip surgery, which gave her a new lease on life. A serious infection prompted Mom to move to the Rosthern Sunrise Place Nursing Home August of 2020, then to Pineview Manor. She thoroughly enjoyed seeing old friends again and going for walks outside.  When it was too cold, she walked indoors on her treadmill, twice a day.

 

Her life was full of much energy, strength and tests.  She was proud of her three sons and their choices of three wonderful daughters and oh, those wonderful grandchildren and great grandchildren, who loved water fights! She was selfless and thought of others before herself. Mom would say, “Children, always remember your life is a gift from God; what you do with that life is your gift to God.”

 

Throughout their school years, her sons were involved in sports and activities of all kinds.  Olga proved to be wonderfully loyal and supportive parent (and fan!). In later years, this grew to include watching grandchildren and great grandchildren play hockey, soccer, volleyball, etc.  She was so proud of each family member.

 

Vern and Olga loved to dance. They could not pass up the opportunity to dance to a polka and especially the Russian polka, and were involved in square dancing for many years.

 

Thank you to all for your involvement and support in Mom’s life.  You have made her life richer because of it.

 

Olga was welcomed into Her Savior’s arms at the age of 94 years on October 29, 2024, after a short stay at Rosthern Hospital. She was a loving wife, a devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother and left for us a legacy of wonderful memories. Olga is lovingly remembered by children: Ron (Edith) Regehr, Rosthern; Dennis Regehr, Meadow Lake; Dale (Debbie) Regehr, Saskatoon; grandchildren:  Dinho (Marnie) Regehr,  Robyn (Kristina) Regehr, Richie (Sarah) Regehr and Marlie (Ben) Leis; Jonathan Regehr, Amanda (Austin) Gelatt, Andrew Regehr and David (Keanah) Regehr; Jay Regehr, Jenna (Brett) Thiessen and Carla (Darcy) Stobbe; great grandchildren: Riley, Burke, Jaden and Connor Regehr; Wyatt and Shane Regehr; Simon, Eric; Vincent and Hector Leis; Max and Maya Regehr; Luke and Levi Thiessen; Juno, Maeve, and Roman Stobbe; sister-in-law MaryAnn (Tumbach) Epp; sister, Sarah (Epp) Stuart; brother, John Epp; nieces and nephews. 

 

Olga was predeceased by her parents, Henry and Sarah (Klassen), Lydia (Strehle) (Regehr) Epp; her husband Vern Regehr, her brothers and sister(s); Jake and Irene (Seffern) Epp, Henry and Marjorie (Taylor) Epp, Steve and Anne (Epp) (Ewert) Shloma, George Epp, Pete Epp Glen Stuart, Theresa (Forrest) Epp, Isaac Epp (died in infancy); daughter-in-law, Penny (Oleksyn) Regehr.

 

Thanks to the physicians and nurses at Rosthern Hospital for their care and compassion. We also wish to thank all our friends and family for their prayers and support.

 

If I could visit heaven,

Even for a day

Maybe for a moment

The pain would go away

Living life without your family

Is the hardest thing to do;

No matter how we spend our days

No matter what we do

No morning dawns

Or evening falls

When I didn’t think of you.

 

*************

 

A Private Memorial Service

will be held at a later date.

 

Memorial Donations can be made in Olga's name to the charity of your choice.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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