Wall, Maria Sukkau (1903-2002)

"Mennonite Brethren Herald" obituary: 2002 Jun 21 p. 29

Birth date: 1903 Apr 14

text of obituary:

MARIA WALL

pr. 13. She was born Apr. 14, 1903 to Jacob and Anna Sukkau in Sparrau, Molotschna, Ukraine. In 1922 she was baptized in Porde- nauer Mennonite Church. She married Isaak Wall in 1924; 7 children were born. Daughter Anna died shortly after birth. In 1938 Isaak was taken away; he died the same year. Together with her sister, she was able to buy her parents' house. She had little means of support. After 2 months youngest daughter Sel- ma died. Maria was forced to dig t renches for the war. She was captured by the Ger- mans but her child ren avoided being sent to Siberia , and they were reunited. The family f led to Poland in 1943, arriving at a refugee camp in Warthegau in 1944. They worked for a farmer. In 1945, while fleeing again, she was captured by t he Rus - sians and sent to Ka za- khstan with her 3 sons. In 1956 she regained her freedom . In 1979 she joined her daugh- ters in Canada, after having been separated for 35 years. She w as in relatively good health during her 23 years in Canada. She lived in Sunny South Lodge for 7 years, then Coaldale (Alta.) Health Care Cen- tre for her last 2 years. Predeceased by Isaak and children Anna, Sel- ma, Jakob and Walter, she is mourned by chil- dren Johann of Ger- many, Mary Dick of Coaldale and Christine Pfeifer of Sidney, B.C.; 9 grandchildren; 8 great- grandchildren; 1 broth- er and 1 sister. The fu- neral was Apr. 19 in Coaldale MB Church, with Lome Willms and Rudy Heidebrecht min- istering.