Editing Reimer, John D. (1922-2001)

"Mennonite Brethren Herald" obituary: 2002 Feb 8 p. 24

Birth date: 1922 Mar 17

text of obituary:

<center><h3>JOHN D. REIMER</h3></center>

John D. Reimer of Winnipeg passed away
Dec. 28 at age 80. He
was born to Jacob and
Emma Reimer in
Ukraine. The family immigrated to Canada via
Mexico. When he was
4, he lost his mother to
typhoid. The family
moved to Nelson,
Yarrow and then Aldergrove, B.C. He attended Bible school. He was
conscripted and served
as a conscientious objector, serving in the
forest of central B.C.
and at Bamberton Cement Works on Vancouver Island. He was
baptized May 1944
and joined North Abbotsford (Clearbrook)
MB Church, Abbotsford, B.C. He married
Martha Schmidt Sept.
30, 1945. They spent
the first few years on a
dairy and strawberry
farm in Sumas, B,C. He
enjoyed singing, playing the Hawaiian guitar, and the outdoors.
He loved the farm, but
a fire, tennis elbow and
a back injury led him to
reluctantly agree to
pastor a year, He pastored Harrison Gospel
Chapel in Hot Springs,
B.C. for 5 years. They
moved to Abbotsford,
where he was field director for West Coast
Children's Mission. He
supplemented his income with carpentry
work, making outdoor
furniture for Sears, and
building houses. His
sermons were geared
for all ages. He enjoyed
summer holidays with
his family, making trips
to the east coast, California and Montreal.
He attended a Christian
college in Portland,
Ore. In 1963 they
moved to Stoney
Creek, Ont. and helped
establish Mountview
Gospel Chapel. He
completed university
studies in Kitchener,
Ont. and Hamilton. He
learned to love watching football and hockey. In 1968 they
moved to Steinbach,
Man. He was the first
paid pastor at Steinbach MB Church, helping to move the church
from German to English. He loved hunting,
fishing, golfing and
waterskiing, and travelled to the Holy land
and Europe. They
moved to Saskatchewan to pastor and
then back to Harrison
Hot Springs. He officiated at the weddings
of his children and
counted each in-law as
his own child. As the
grandchildren arrived,
his and Martha's
prayers lengthened. He
involved them in his
services and would get
them to help deliver
Christmas hampers. He
tried to get close to all
his grandchildren and
drove many miles to attend their weddings,
graduations and baptisms. He used the
computer regularly to
send e-mail cards and
notes of encouragement. Eight years ago,
while serving as pastor
of leamington (Ont.)
MB Church, he suffered a major heart attack, but recovered.
They moved to an
apartment in Winnipeg. His greatest joy
was knowing Jesus and
sharing Him with others, leading many to
the lord, including at
least six since his heart attack and one two
weeks before his death.
He is mourned by
Martha; daughters
Emmy Martens, Carol
Neufeld and Mic
Thiessen; sons Wes and
Phil; 22 grandchildren;
1 great-grandchild;
and 1 sister. The fu neral was Dec. 31 in
Portage Ave. MB
Church, Winnipeg,
with Claude Pratte
ministering.

[[Category:Mennonite Brethren Herald obituaries]]