Fast, Helena Wiens (1895-1970)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1970 Oct 02 p. 30

Birth date: 1895 Aug 30

text of obituary:

HELENA FAST

(Mrs.) Helena Fast, nee Wiens, was born in Sagradowka, South Russia, on August 30, 1895. In her youth she accepted Christ as Savior and was later baptized and received into the Mennonite Brethren Church. On her 22nd birthday she was married to John Fast. The Lord blessed their marriage with nine sons and three daughters, seven of them born before they came to Canada in 1926. Two sons died in infancy. The family came first to Beechy, Sask., in their search for a new home in Canada, and lived there from 1926 to 1938. Then they moved to Ontario, settling on a farm near Virgil. There the father died quite suddenly in 1944. The family remained on the farm a few more years before moving to Virgil. The sudden passing of three sons and a grandson caused the widow much grief. Each time, however, the Lord gave sufficient grace. During the past year, Mrs. Fast had lived in the Tabor Manor, in St. Catharines. A few days prior to her death she had attended the wedding of her granddaughter, Virginia Wichert, to Hartmut Wiens and at the reception was given a cake by the bridal couple in honor of her 75th birthday. She passed away on September 2. The funeral service was held on September 4 in the Virgil Church. Messages of consolation were brought by Rudy Bartel and John G. Baerg. She is survived by four sons, John of Abbotsford, B.C., Dick and George of R.R. 1, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., and Peter of Virgil; three daughters, Mrs. John (Marie) Braun of Admiral, Sask., Mrs. Henry (Tina) Wichert of Virgil, and Mrs. John (Martha) Voth of Niagara Falls; as well as 48 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.