Toews, Peter Reginald (1916-2005)

"Mennonite Brethren Herald" obituary: 2005 Mar 18 p. 29

Birth date: 1916 Aug 29

text of obituary:

PETER REGINALD (P.R.) TOEWS

Peter R. Toews died Jan. 15. He was born Aug. 29, 1916 in Waldheim, southern Ukraine, to Peter and Aganetha Toews. When he was 5, his parents were killed by a bomb. The 4 children were taken to live with relatives. Peter lived with the Abram Toews family. The family immigrated to Canada in 1926, settling on irrigation farmland in Coaldale, Alta. in 1928. Peter became responsible for the irrigation tasks. When his mother encouraged him to attend Bible school he refused because he was not a Christian. When the family went to church, he and his friends would either go to town or stay outside the church, enjoying themselves. At an evening service in January he accompanied his father to church but arrived too late to join his friends. That evening his parents prayed with him and he found peace. Romans 10:10 became his anchor. He attended Coaldale Bible School, then Prairie Bible Institute, Three Hills, Alta. He became Sunday school teacher of teenagers. He married Lydia Janz Apr. 17, 1941. They farmed but a hailstorm devastated most of their crops the first year. He became angry with God but during prayer week the next year, he was able to thank God for His leading, goodness and mercy. In 1943, B.B. Janz, the leader of Coaldale MB Church, invited him to preach a sermon the following Sunday. After the war he and Lydia both felt a call to ministry. They moved to Winnipeg to attend MB Bible College. Peter finished his high school and started theological studies. On weekends he would preach in different churches. He preached in Elmwood MB Church one Sunday evening and then was asked to preach every evening for a week. At the same time he had become speaker for the Gospel Light Hour, a weekly radio broadcast. After College he taught at Coaldale Bible School. He and Lydia, together with David and Lena Ewert, were ordained to ministry. He pastored churches in Hepburn, Sask., Vancouver, Dinuba, Calif., Winnipeg, Watrous, Sask. and Armstrong, B.C., and served as moderator of the Canadian MB Conference. He also taught at Columbia Bible Institute, Abbotsford, and served as president for 8 years. In 1986 he retired in Abbotsford to enjoy his hobbies of woodworking, fishing and growing roses. In 1997 they sold their house and moved to a condo in Garden Park Tower. When he had word that his sister Frieda had died in Kazakhstan, he planted a rose garden in her memory on the grounds of Garden Park Tower. He spent many happy, contemplative hours there, enjoying the beautiful flowers. He is mourned by Lydia; sons Victor and Peter of Abbotsford; daughters Ruth Heinrichs of Fresno, Calif; Elfrieda Hiebert of Santa Cruz, Calif; 5 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild; 2 sisters; 1 brother. The funeral was Jan. 20 in Bakerview MB Church, Abbotsford, with Ray Harris, John B. Toews and Michael Dick ministering.