Helen Penner nee Reimer

Mennonite Genealogy with Michael Penner

Helen Penner nee Reimer (1907-1982)

Obituary from The Messenger, Vol. 20, No. 27, p. 8

Helen Penner 1907-1982

Helen Penner, dearly beloved wife and mother, was called to her eternal home on Friday, December 17, at about 2:30 p.m. Although she had been very active all week, Christmas shopping, and even attending the school Christmas concert the night before, so this was a great shock to us.

Mother was born in Clearsprings, Manitoba on March 31, 1907, the seventh child of Henry R. and Helen Reimer. She attended school at Blumenort and Clearsprings. She gave her heart to the Lord, and was baptized and received into the Evangelical Mennonite Conference on October 5, 1924.

On May 16, 1926 Helen and I were united in marriage, with her father officiating. This marriage has lasted more than 56 years. We have gone through good times and hard times together, and through it all have been conscious of God's everlasting arms underneath us. After spending six years in Landmark we moved to Lorette where I had a garage business. Later we moved back to Landmark where we have remained until now. Our marriage was blessed with eleven children, ten of whom have grown to adulthood. Anita passed away February 13, 1945 at the age of nine years. Mother will be enjoying her reunion with her this Christmas .

Mother was a hard worker. She leaves us an example of unselfish service. She was never demanding or complaining; she put the needs of others ahead of her own. She enjoyed the seventeen winters we spent at National Mils, and it was there she suffered a small stroke in 1959 from which she had a hard time recovering. However, she did go on to regain her health, but her strength has been less since that time.

In September of this year she spent a few days in the Steinbach Hospital because of her heart condition. Shortly after this all her concern centered on me because of the cancer therapy I had to have.

On December 17 she thought she had a stomach flu and lay down for awhile. Upon getting up she suddenly passed away. She reached the age of 75 years and nine months. She leaves to mourn me, her husband David, four daughters and six sons and their spouses: daughters, Elnora and Arno Kroeker, Evelyn and Dan Giesbrecht, Mary and John Barkman, Caroline and Peter Loewen, and sons, Stanford and Rosemarie, Henry and Donna, Wesley and Ruth, Winston and Viola, Leonard and Hettie, and Kenneth and Helen. Also mourning her death are thirty-five grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren.

She will be missed by her four sisters, Susanna Plett, Margaret Reimer, Tina Penner and Elsie Hildebrand; and two brothers, Ben Reimer and Frank Reimer; and many other relatives, friends and acquaintances.

Her sister Mary predeceased her on the same date four years ago. Also preceding her in death were her parents and her brothers, Peter, Abram, Henry, John and Dietrich.

Mother had no fear of death; she looked forward to leaving this earth and joining her parents, sister, brothers and daughter in a better place, where we hope to be reunited with her. We have the assurance that she is now in that place of many mansions, which Jesus has gone to prepare for those who love Him, and we wait for the time when we will join her there.

- David F. Penner and Family

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