Obituary for Irene Loewen
It is with sadness that the family of (Mary) Irene Loewen announces her peaceful passing on April 9, 2023 at the age of 81.
Irene, born July 9, 1941, was the daughter of David and Mary Loewen, formerly of Newton, Manitoba. Irene is survived by her siblings, Anne , David (Grace), and Peter (Alvira). She is also survived by her nieces and nephews : Terry (Heather) Goertzen, Sherrill Loewen, Brian (Patricia) Loewen, Sherilyn (Peter) Andres, Tamira Loewen, Jenaya Loewen, Megan (Russell) Quapp, Tyler (Kristy) Loewen and her great nieces and nephews: Noah, Johanna (Quinton), Bronwyn, Adrienne, Heidi, Jodene, Matty, and Samara. She was predeceased by one great nephew Anthony.
Irene also leaves to mourn her passing her foster son George (Bertha) Froese and their children and grandchildren. Their family brought her much joy and allowed her to experience being a mother, grandmother: Joseph (Robyn), Naomi (Simi), Rebekah, and a great grandmother (Ezekial & Zebadee). She frequently spoke about how they enriched her life.
Irene grew up on the farm at Newton Siding, leaving home to attend high school at MBCI. She attended Winkler Bible School and later went to Teacher’s College. Her first teaching assignment was in a rural one-room school at Fortier, Manitoba. She spent most of her teaching career with the Winnipeg School Division where she taught various grades, spending her last years teaching junior high. She enjoyed her teaching career. After teaching overseas for a few years, Irene spent some time volunteering at Linden Christian School and St. Aiden’s Christian School. The interaction with the students and staff brought her great joy.
Irene loved to travel and used every opportunity to explore various parts of the world. She participated in several teacher exchanges (Australia in 1978) and Germany in (1987). After her retirement she taught English at a Teacher’s College in Budapest for four years. She also taught English at Lithuanian Christian College for one summer. She used these opportunities as a chance to explore the world, making many life-long friends in the process. She was good at nurturing her relationships with the people she met and lived with, and it seemed like she had someone to visit throughout Canada and the United States. After she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she had friends visit her from Victoria, Seattle, Minneapolis, Boston, Calgary, Warroad, Arizona, Oregon, Ottawa, Burlington, and various parts of Manitoba.
Irene accepted Christ as her Savior as a young child and was baptized at the Newton MB Church. In spite of spiritual struggles in her early years, she renewed her commitment to God and developed a strong faith that sustained her and provided her with the assurance that God was in control. She dealt with her diagnosis and illness with grace and dignity, drawing strength from her faith in her Savior. She was well supported by her church family and especially from her home groups who encouraged her and provided many practical supports, which we as a family appreciated very much. The family is also very appreciative of the emotional and practical support Rebecca King provided to Irene.
Irene valued relationships and worked hard to establish and maintain contacts with her cousins, nieces and nephews, her cousins’ children and the children of some of her friends. Several summers she hosted her friends’ grandchildren from Germany, helping them improve their English and travelling with them to show them parts of North America. She never tired of these contacts and the opportunities she took to enhance her relationships with them.
Irene enjoyed travelling, taking pictures, knitting, sewing, taking pictures, reading, socializing with friends, taking pictures, and spending time with family. She enjoyed watching tennis and curling. Rarely was there an occasion without her taking pictures to mark the event. Travelling with her meant frequent stops so that Irene could take a picture.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Friends of the Mennonite Centre In Ukraine.
A Celebration of Life will be held at The Church of the Rock on April 25, 2023 at 11:00 A.M.,1397 Buffalo Place, Winnipeg, MB. A reception will follow.
The service will be live-streamed and available at:
https://vimeo.com/event/3334986/d5c47f1f74
Irene, born July 9, 1941, was the daughter of David and Mary Loewen, formerly of Newton, Manitoba. Irene is survived by her siblings, Anne , David (Grace), and Peter (Alvira). She is also survived by her nieces and nephews : Terry (Heather) Goertzen, Sherrill Loewen, Brian (Patricia) Loewen, Sherilyn (Peter) Andres, Tamira Loewen, Jenaya Loewen, Megan (Russell) Quapp, Tyler (Kristy) Loewen and her great nieces and nephews: Noah, Johanna (Quinton), Bronwyn, Adrienne, Heidi, Jodene, Matty, and Samara. She was predeceased by one great nephew Anthony.
Irene also leaves to mourn her passing her foster son George (Bertha) Froese and their children and grandchildren. Their family brought her much joy and allowed her to experience being a mother, grandmother: Joseph (Robyn), Naomi (Simi), Rebekah, and a great grandmother (Ezekial & Zebadee). She frequently spoke about how they enriched her life.
Irene grew up on the farm at Newton Siding, leaving home to attend high school at MBCI. She attended Winkler Bible School and later went to Teacher’s College. Her first teaching assignment was in a rural one-room school at Fortier, Manitoba. She spent most of her teaching career with the Winnipeg School Division where she taught various grades, spending her last years teaching junior high. She enjoyed her teaching career. After teaching overseas for a few years, Irene spent some time volunteering at Linden Christian School and St. Aiden’s Christian School. The interaction with the students and staff brought her great joy.
Irene loved to travel and used every opportunity to explore various parts of the world. She participated in several teacher exchanges (Australia in 1978) and Germany in (1987). After her retirement she taught English at a Teacher’s College in Budapest for four years. She also taught English at Lithuanian Christian College for one summer. She used these opportunities as a chance to explore the world, making many life-long friends in the process. She was good at nurturing her relationships with the people she met and lived with, and it seemed like she had someone to visit throughout Canada and the United States. After she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she had friends visit her from Victoria, Seattle, Minneapolis, Boston, Calgary, Warroad, Arizona, Oregon, Ottawa, Burlington, and various parts of Manitoba.
Irene accepted Christ as her Savior as a young child and was baptized at the Newton MB Church. In spite of spiritual struggles in her early years, she renewed her commitment to God and developed a strong faith that sustained her and provided her with the assurance that God was in control. She dealt with her diagnosis and illness with grace and dignity, drawing strength from her faith in her Savior. She was well supported by her church family and especially from her home groups who encouraged her and provided many practical supports, which we as a family appreciated very much. The family is also very appreciative of the emotional and practical support Rebecca King provided to Irene.
Irene valued relationships and worked hard to establish and maintain contacts with her cousins, nieces and nephews, her cousins’ children and the children of some of her friends. Several summers she hosted her friends’ grandchildren from Germany, helping them improve their English and travelling with them to show them parts of North America. She never tired of these contacts and the opportunities she took to enhance her relationships with them.
Irene enjoyed travelling, taking pictures, knitting, sewing, taking pictures, reading, socializing with friends, taking pictures, and spending time with family. She enjoyed watching tennis and curling. Rarely was there an occasion without her taking pictures to mark the event. Travelling with her meant frequent stops so that Irene could take a picture.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Friends of the Mennonite Centre In Ukraine.
A Celebration of Life will be held at The Church of the Rock on April 25, 2023 at 11:00 A.M.,1397 Buffalo Place, Winnipeg, MB. A reception will follow.
The service will be live-streamed and available at:
https://vimeo.com/event/3334986/d5c47f1f74