Helga E. Wiebe (nee Peters)
Peacefully on Nov. 20, 2022, Helga E. Wiebe (nee Peters) died at the Concordia Hospital where she was recuperating from a broken hip.
Helga, born Joyce Delores Billi on Feb. 10, 1932, was adopted by Gerhard and Agnes (nee Fast) Peters in January 1935. Helga and her parents lived in Gretna, Steinbach and Winnipeg. Helga attended the MCI in Gretna until grade 11 and graduated from the Steinbach Bible Academy in 1949. After graduation from high school, she attended Normal School in what is the current CMU North campus. She taught in Spenser South, Springstein and Winnipeg until 1957 when her first daughter was born.
On July 16, 1955, she married Jacob (Jake) Wiebe of Springstein and after a few years of city life, while mom taught and Jake took autobody courses, they moved to Sanford and eventually to Springstein to raise their five children and farm. Springstein and its surroundings community remained home until just after their 50th wedding anniversary in 2005 when she and Jake downsized and moved to Winnipeg. Bethel Place and for the past 3 years Rosewood-Norberry House were home during retirement and widowhood. Wherever she lived, plants were planted, and nature encouraged and admired.
Helga’s faith was central to her life. Helga and Jake were active members of the Springstein Mennonite Church. Friends and fellowship at Bethel Place were highlights for her.
Helga was always an avid learner. She learned to be a farmer’s wife, mother, gardener, Sunday school teacher, translator of family letters from German, seamstress, thrift shop quilt maker, speaker in the German services and much, much more. Her love of music had her playing the piano for her own entertainment at home and singing in the choir. She and her alto singing buddy, Alice, sat next to each other for seventy plus years of rehearsals and concerts.
Helga and Jake camped at Riding Mountain National Park annually close to their anniversary as they honeymooned there in 1955. Her love of nature ensured her children went on many walks and learned to name plants and birds. She loved to read to others and read to her husband, children and grandchildren for hours at a time. She loved games like cards and dominoes and played with us until just a few days prior to her passing. In their last country home along the LaSalle River Helga and her grandchildren created Nature’s Playground in the woods and fun was had by all.
Traveling to connect with family and friends was a theme in her life. Trips in fall to Virgil, ON to visit her sister’s family happened very frequently. From the time of Jake’s retirement until her early eighties Helga and Jake made annual trips to Florida. First to volunteer at Lakewood Retreat Centre where the Burkhalter’s whom they had adopted as chosen family lived and then at Sunny Breeze Christian Fellowship where they loved to spend their winters. Helga was involved with the entire community. She loved to lead bible studies, sing in the choir and play shuffleboard while connecting with new and old friends.
Helga leaves to mourn many family members and friends.
Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren:
Monica Wiebe;
Kurt and Connie Wiebe and their children -
Andrea, Rheal Carriere and their son Lukas;
Megan, Jeremy Silcox and their children Emily and Greyson;
Matthew, Andrea and their children Hawkley and Ren Wiebe;
Ingrid and Clarence Krahn and their children -
Aleah, Aron De Gier, and their children Kees, Liese, and Sanne;
Brendyn, Stacey Krahn and their children Jacob and William;
Kendra Krahn;
Heather and Bernie Hildebrand and their children -
Alyssa Hildebrand;
Brianna Hildebrand;
Fred and Christine Wiebe and their children -
Brady Wiebe;
Cooper and Michelle Wiebe;
Austin Wiebe;
Meire and Glenn Thorarinson and daughter Jessica.
Her in-laws: 8 sisters-in-laws (Nellie, Liz, Aggie, Mary, Kathy, Susan, Pat, Hilda) and 5 brothers-in-law (Corny, John, Abe, Ben, Ed) and 16 nieces and nephews and their partners.
She was predeceased by Jake, her husband of 63 years; her sister Adelheid Harder (nee Wiens), her half-sister Marjorie Hartwig (nee Sniegocki); one sister-in-law -Helen; four brothers-in-law- Arthur, Paul, Victor, and Jack and 2 nephews – Brad and Kent.
We want to thank both Bethel Place and The Rosewood, especially all staff and residents in Norberry House, for being amazing places for Helga to live. We also thank Dr. Olson and the Geriatric team at Riverview, and the Palliative Care team for helping us support Helga with her dementia and cancer care.
The next time you have an ice cream cone, spend a moment checking out the sky for animal pictures and think of Helga.
Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, November 25, 2022 at Springstein Church, Springstein, MB.
Service will be livestreamed:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82768517798?pwd=UHpCc2wzb2pCOTErVlRGeXEzREorQT09
Meeting ID: 827 6851 7798
Passcode: 346325
Donations may be made in Helga's memory to Mennonite Collegiate Institute:
https://mciblues.net/give-to-mci/
or to Canadian Foodgrains Bank:
https://foodgrainsbank.ca/donate/