Obituary of Erna Kreiter

February 23, 1924 – October 29, 2016 Erna Clara (Siemens) Kreiter, born February 23, 1924, passed away peacefully October 29, 2016 at Rosthern, Saskatchewan. Erna, the fourth of seven children born to Abraham and Katherina Siemens, grew up on the family farm near Eigenheim, west of Rosthern, Saskatchewan. She received her elementary schooling at the Friedensfeldt school and had two years instruction at the Rosthern Bible School. She was a lifelong member of the Eigenheim Mennonite Church where she was a dedicated Sunday School and DVBS teacher for many years. Erna was also an active participant with the Eigenheim Women’s Fellowship group serving in various committee and executive positions. While working at the MacLeod’s store in Rosthern, Erna met her future husband, Henry Kreiter. They were married on July 22, 1959 and moved to the Kreiter family farm, south-west of Rosthern, where they farmed till retiring to Rosthern in 1977. After moving to town, Erna worked at the Home for the Aged till she was forced to quit due to health issues. In retirement, Erna took up bowling and other hobbies, as well as many volunteer activities, including working at the Clothes Basket thrift store, delivering Meals on Wheels, and served on the Hospital Auxiliary, the Hospital Board, Clothes Basket Board, at the Rosthern Tourism Booth, and at the local Wellness clinic. After Henry’s passing in 2000, and living on her own for 12 years, Erna decided to sell her home of 35 years, and moved to the Home for the Aged in 2012 making the difficult adjustment to living in a small apartment. She had been trained as a seamstress in her youth and was still doing alterations well after moving to the Home. She also took up knitting, making several hundred toques for homeless youth in Saskatoon in the last few years. She was a wedding cake decorator, and many people from near and far were the recipients of her skillful masterpieces. Erna was an avid gardener and had a large garden on the farm, growing and preserving most of the family’s needs and this continued when they moved to town. Even after moving to the Home for the Aged she still enjoyed gardening, planting hanging baskets and looking after the plants around the outside of the Home. She was an absolutely amazing woman with a heart of gold, who loved Jesus with great passion and lived her life for Him. She treated everyone she met with gentle kindness, compassion, and respect. After a relatively brief illness, Erna succumbed to pancreatic cancer on October 29, 2016. She handled her illness with dignity and grace and passed away in her sleep, in her own bed just as she had wished. She is now in her heavenly home with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Erna was predeceased by her husband Henry, her brothers Milton and Rueben and sisters Margaret, Stella and Therese. She was also predeceased by grandson William Kreiter and great-grandson Noah Hildebrandt. She is survived by brother Ambros (Elsie) Siemens, brother-in-law Peter Dyck, brother-in-law Orval Ens, sister-in-law Joyce Kreiter, children Timothy (Janet) Kreiter, Keith Kreiter, Ruth (Alan) Hildebrandt and grandchildren Erin Kreiter, Elizabeth Kreiter, Austin (Kendell) Hildebrandt, Colton (Erin) Hildebrandt, Tyson Hildebrandt and great-grandchildren Bailey, Fay, Liam and Wyatt Hildebrandt. The family would like to thank all the wonderful staff and caregivers at Prairie Meadow Place and Rosthern Hospital for the love and care shown to her. The Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, November 5, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. at Eigenheim Mennonite Church, with Pastor Allan Friesen officiating. Interment will take place at Eigenheim Cemetery. Arrangements are in care of Funk’s Funeral Home, Rosthern (306-232-5245, http://www.funksfuneralhome.ca)