Editing Heidebrecht, Peter (1894-1980)

''Mennonite Brethren Herald'' obituary: 1980 Oct 24

Birth date: 1894 Oct 13

text of obituary:

<center><h3>PETER HEIDEBRECHT</h3></center>

Peter Heidebrecht of Coaldale, Alta. pass-
ed away suddenly on August 26 while return·
ing from a short vacation in B.C. He was 86.
He was born on October 13, 1894, in
Gnadenfeld, in southern Russia, the first
child of Dietrich and Helena Heidebrecht.
His childhood was saddened through the
death, when he was ten, of his mother. He ex·
perienced most of his youth in the village of
Hamberg, where he worked on his father's
tree nursery and for a time lived with his
uncle in the Crimea. During the time of the
First World War he was drafted into the
army and later, following the revolution, he
became involved in the Self· defense
(Selbstschutz) groups and the White Army.
Later after the defeat of the other forces, he
was drawn into the Red Army. Despite the
great turmoil through which he came, he
would later testify that he had never commit·
ted violence upon any person.
He was married to Elizabeth Dirks in 1922,
a union to which were born five sons and five
daughters. In 1925 they came to Canada and
settled near Linden, Alta., where they were
welcomed into the Church of God in Christ
Mennonite fellowship. Though he had ac·
cepted Christ as his Saviour as a child of 8 or
9, it was through the death of a son, Victor,
in 1946, that he renewed his commitment to
the Lord. In 1947 the family moved to
Coaldale, where they joined the Mennonite
Brethren Church. Throughout a long life, he
experienced many hardships, yet he main-
tained a positive and optimistic spirit. He
served gladly in the church.
He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth;
daughters, Erika (Mrs. Leo) Doucette, Burnaby, B.C., Lillian (Mrs. George) Litke,
Aldergrove, B.C., Hilda, Buffalo Head, Alta.,
Anne, Calgary, and Betty (Mrs. Wayne) Hall,
Langley, B.C.; and sons, John, Medicine Hat,
Alta., Rudolf, Coaldale, Harry, Greendale, B.C. and Herbert, Alt; 19 grand-
children and one great grandchild. The
funeral took place on August 29 from the
Coaldale Mennonite Brethren Church with
Nick Reimer and Harry Heidebrecht minis-
tering, and John Dueck officiating.

[[Category:Mennonite Brethren Herald obituaries]]