Willms, Irma Rempel (1914-2003)

"Mennonite Brethren Herald" obituaries: 2003 May 2 p. 27

Birth date: 1914 Dec 2

text of obituary:

IRMA WILLS

Irma Willms of Abbotsford, B.C. died Feb. 13. She was born Dec. 2, 1914 to Abram and He- lene Rempel in Chechnya, Russia. The family lived on her grandfather's estate. During the revolution, they moved to Ebental where they homesteaded and built a sod house. She ac- cepted Jesus during a spiritual reawakening and was baptized in her early teens. Here father be- came a preacher. They moved to Neu Hoff- nung, then emigrated to Manitoba in 1930. Af- ter the harvest, they moved to Yarrow, B.C Irma worked as a housekeeper on farms, then got a job in Vancouver at 17. She became a charter member of South Abbotsford (B .C) MB Church where her father was preacher. She married Henry Willms Oct. 25, 1936. In March 1937 they began a dairy farm, but also did mixed farming . In 1969 they retired and built a new house on the property. They travelled; Irma looked after her granddaughters, and spent time in her flower garden. They moved to Garden Park Tower in 1998. She led by ex- ample, was loving, patient and kind. She had great faith in God and was faithful in prayer. She is mourned by Henry; sons Walter, Rudy, John, Vic and Rick; daughters Selma Turner, Eri- ka LeClair and MarieAnne Dick; 23 grandchil- dren; 29 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great- grandchild; 3 sisters; 3 brothers . The funeral was Feb. 20 in South Abbotsford MB Church with David Epp ministering.