Sue Nikkel (nee Penner)
Obituary
Sue Nikkel (nee Penner) of Steinbach passed away on her 66th birthday, Monday, December 11, 2017. She was born in 1951 to Jac and Helen Penner in Loma Plata, Paraguay, the second youngest of 5 children.
When Sue was 11 years old her family left the Chaco and immigrated to Canada, where they settled in Steinbach. After finishing high school in Steinbach, Sue attended New Tribes Bible School in Waukesha, Wisconsin for a year. Soon after, she began what was to become her career as a travel agent with Klassen Travel in Winnipeg.
In 1974 she was invited to come back to Steinbach and open a travel agency in the Woodlawn Realty office on Main Street. Sue’s hard work and passion for travel helped Holiday Travel to flourish. P.J. Reimer, a Steinbach businessman, approached Sue and together they purchased the travel agency. In 1980, when the Clearspring Mall was built on the north edge of town, Holiday Travel was one of the original tenants. There she met and worked with several other women entrepreneurs and together they formed a bond that has lasted to this day. For 27 years Sue helped others plan their adventures, their honeymoons, their family vacations, and their “trips of a lifetime” from her desk at the travel agency. Through her work she made many long-lasting relationships.
Sue met her future husband, Rudy, when they were both part of the Steinbach Mennonite Church youth group where Sue was one of the leaders. They were married in 1977. Then in 1983 their daughter Alexandra was born. Somehow Sue managed to be a full-time business woman and still be a great wife and mother.
As a perk of the job, Sue was able to travel to many different places. She travelled together with other travel agents, friends, and often with her family. Rudy and Alexandra have fond memories of the many road-trips, sun holidays, and interesting overseas trips they took.
Sue left her desk at Holiday Travel in 2001 so that she and Rudy could work on a ‘bucket list’ of places to visit. Over the next couple of years their adventures took them around the world (a few times) and included itineraries like riding the Trans-Siberian train across Asia and cycling across Canada.
Rudy retired from his teaching job in 2010 and the two of them continued to travel, now able to go for extended winter holidays in places like Chile, Argentina, Arizona, South Africa, and most recently, in New Zealand. When Alexandra and her husband Tim had a baby (Max) in 2012, the three of them often joined Rudy and Sue for part of their winter holiday. Little Max brought much joy to Rudy and Sue.
This past summer Sue started noticing a change in the way she was feeling. She was tired, could no longer enjoy some of her favorite foods, and had no energy for cooking or entertaining (her favorite pastimes). After several doctor appointments, in late October, she finally had a diagnosis: there was cancer around her liver. Over the next several weeks she waited and underwent a few more tests.
On November 15 she was informed that her disease was terminal, and she would not have long to live. Sue took this terrible news with resignation and acceptance. She said she had lived a good life and she wasn’t afraid of dying. She spent the remaining weeks hosting many, many visitors who came to pay tribute to her. She made the most of the time she had left. Her wish was to die at home and her wish was granted. She passed away on the evening of her 66th birthday at yet another dinner party around her dining room table, surrounded by family.
Sue was pre-deceased by her parents.
She leaves to mourn her husband Rudy, daughter Alexandra (Tim), grandson (Max), brothers and sisters Mary, Albert (Shirley), Mart (Virlon), Dave (Lois) and many nieces and nephews.
The memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at Steinbach Mennonite Church, 345 Loewen Blvd, Steinbach MB. An ash interment will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Sue may be made to the Bethesda Foundation, 316 Henry St., Steinbach, MB R5G 0P9.
