Toews, Katherine Helen Enns (1899-1991)

"Mennonite Brethren Herald' obituary: 1991 May 3 p. 33

Birth date: 1899

text of obituary:

KATHERINE HELEN TOEWS

Katherine Helen Toews of Clearbrook, B.C. passed away Feb. 5. She was born Nov. 3, 1899 to Peter and Helen Enns in Petrovka, Orenburg, USSR. As a child, she experienced much joy after receiving forgiveness in Jesus. She was baptized at 12 and joined the MB church at Kamenka, Orenburg. In 1923 she married Isaac David Toews, a widower with 4 sons. In 1926 they immigrated to Canada, living at Drake, Sask. and Venn, Sask., then settling on a farm at Watrous, Sask. They were members of Philadelphia MB Church. She monitored the reading in the home, often surprising the family with her knowledge of English and current political events. She taught them basic spiritual truths through songs and stories. In 1946 the family moved to a dairy farm near Abbotsford, B.C., later moving to Arnold, B.C. Isaac died in 1968. She lived with her daughter Helen for a year and a half, then chose to move to Tabor Home. Her last years were spent in quiet submission, as she experienced limited mobility, eyesight, hearing and speech. Predeceased by her husband, sons Cornelius (in a threshing accident in 1936) and David, daughter Helen, 2 great grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild, she is mourned by daughters Mary Rempel of Abbotsford, Helen Giesbrecht of Vancouver, Agatha of Vancouver, Kathy of Richmond, B.C., Elsie Willms of Oakville, Man. and Lydia of Richmond; sons Isaac of Clearbrook, Jacob of Abbotsford, Abe of Victoria, Ferdinand of Winnipeg, Bill of Regina and Neil of Edmonton; 39 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great-grandchildren and 1 sister. The funeral was Feb. 11 in Arnold MB Church, with P.C. Penner and Sylvester Dirks ministering.