Eva Friesen (nee Kroeker)
Obituary
Mom passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at the age of 93, at the Rest Haven Nursing Home, Steinbach, MB. She and Dad had been married for 59 years when he passed away in 2004.
She is survived by four daughters: Margaret (John) Bergmann, Janice (Jake) Giesbrecht, Lucille (Abe) Wiebe, Judy (Robert) Dueck; one son Les (Irene) Friesen; two sisters (Tina Friesen and Lucy Rempel) and their families; as well as 19 grandchildren and their spouses, and numerous great-grandchildren.
Eva was predeceased by her husband Frank Friesen and one great-granddaughter.
Family was always very important to Mom. Her face would light up whenever her daughters came to visit. She always talked about “my girls” and was very possessive of her time with them. When Les and Lucille would come out from the West, it was always a special family time.
Mom was very free to say “I love you”. Children always knew they were loved by her. Especially in the last few years, her sign of endearment was to rub the top of a child’s hand when she was holding them. It was easy to see Mom’s delight in children as her face would light up whenever a child came into the room.
Mom grew up in a large family and learned to work hard at a very young age. As time went on, she became very frustrated because, on Sundays, she and her sisters were sent out to milk the cows. Her brothers would say, “Why should we go out to milk the cows when we have 1000 sisters to do it instead?” She still talked about this up until three years ago.
But Mom did work hard and diligently helped Dad in various ways. She took on a part-time job driving school bus in Roseisle to make some extra income and help make ends meet. The bus was their ’58 Chevy Impala. She only carried 13 children in that car. And that was before the days of seatbelts and showers!
Mom’s baking and cooking skills were exceptional. Her father thought the food shouldn’t just taste good – it also had to look good. And Mom carried on that mindset to the delight and benefit of many!
Her gift of hospitality really became evident after she and Dad moved to Roseisle. She and Dad hosted many guests for meals and overnight stays. Their home was always open, and guests were welcomed warmly.
Mom was also highly skilled at sewing. She took pride in sewing dresses for her girls for Christmas and Easter and other occasions.
She also loved to spend time gardening and especially enjoyed her flowerbeds. She enjoyed reading and doing puzzles.
As talented and loving and capable as Mom was, there were days when the kids were growing up when she expressed frustration. Her most common choice of words was, “Oh, baby noch moul!”
Mom might have had short moments of frustration, but her enduring faith was the bedrock of her life. She and Dad led us in family devotions every morning through Bible reading and prayer. Mom was unwavering, unshakeable, and steadfast in her faith even through the most difficult times, and it was easy to see that she continually looked to the Lord to meet her needs.
Her favorite verse was from Psalm 121, “I lift my eyes to the hills – From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” Mom lived that verse out faithfully.
One of her favorite hymns proclaims, “At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight, And now I am happy all the day!” These words are an accurate depiction of how Mom lived her life.
It’s amazing to think about how much the world has changed since Mom was born. There was a time when you could board a plane with just a boarding pass. But as time went on, ID was required. A number of years ago, Mom made history by being allowed to board the plane to Calgary with just her Sobey’s card as “ID”.
After Dad’s passing, one of Mom’s favourite pastimes was going for a long ride with one of her girls, with fries or a sundae from McDonald’s in hand. This was the picture of total contentment. It was enjoyed just as much by the girls!
After Rest Haven became her home in 2012, what made her day was seeing her girls come down the hall with a tray of Timmy’s coffee and that special large box of Timbits – especially Crullers. Sometimes she didn’t mind sharing!
Mom also enjoyed music so much and loved it whenever the girls would join her to go to Sing Song. Any time she would be listening to singing, there was a look of peaceful contentment on her face and she would gently tap her leg to the music. She remembered every word to every hymn by heart.
Near the end of January, Mom took a definite downturn. Most of her time was spent sleeping peacefully. She ate and drank very little – although she continued to enjoy her Dixie Cups for another week.
Then, on February 6, three of her daughters noticed that Mom was nearing the end of her earthly journey. They decided to spend the night with her. They prayed with her and sung to her for hours. Her sleep became deeper. Two minutes before her passing, Lucille noticed one tear in her eye, and shortly thereafter, she took her final breath.
Mom’s #1 favorite song declares, “Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.” Those words became her reality. We “sung her into heaven”.
Now, we, as a family, are adjusting to her new address, and we are rejoicing with her.
We are so blessed to have family and friends sharing the celebration of our mother with us.
Thank you to all Rest Haven staff for loving and caring for our mother in the past six years.
Thank you to all the family and friends that took time out of your busy schedules to come and visit Mom over the last few years.
The funeral service will be held on Friday, February 16, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach, MB, with a viewing prior to the service. The burial will follow at Heritage Cemetery, Steinbach, MB.
If friends desire, donations in memory of Eva may be made to Frontier Alliance International, or Iris Ministries Canada, please check with family for details.
