Our Mom, Alice Elizabeth (Hildebrand) Cornelson died peacefully, but reluctantly, at B1 Riverview Health Center, room #6 where she lived for the last 2 ½ years of her life. Alice was 88 when she died surrounded by members of her family, her health care team, and her pastor Moses. The cause of death might officially be Advance Dementia or Covid, but it could also be said that finally mom’s frail earthly body just couldn’t go any further in spite of her strength of heart and soul to continue.
Many called her a fighter, we call her committed, devoted, faithful and endless in her love and service not only to her family, but to those who God placed her alongside of. Mom died reluctantly, because acknowledging that she needed rest didn’t come naturally for her. She hated to leave a party or gathering, she was most alive in the company of the whole family, or in one of the many church foyers she moved around in, or when on the annual Hildebrand sister events, or alone with our dad, who she learned to live without for almost 6 years.
Alice is survived by her 4 children, their spouses, her grandchildren and great grandchildren– Garry (Dianne), Shane (Larissa), Davis, Scott and son Vaughn. Karen (Tony), Melanie (Jon) children Samuel, Elise, Greg (Jackie) daughter Norah, Brent (Alison) daughter Rosie. Tim (Shelley), Ashton, Brynn (Jayson), Bowen (Morgan). Myron (Bev), Erin, Abby (Luke), her brother Edwin Hildebrand, and sister Erna (Walter)Peters, her brother in laws Abe Reimer(Betty) and Alvin Friesen, sister in laws Helen Bergen, Mary Anne Hildebrand, and Mary Nikkel.
Along the way mom mourned the loss of her parents Abram and Frieda, husband Edward , her granddaughter Corinne Leanne, siblings Helen, Hugo, Vern, Frieda, in laws Kathy Hildebrand, Ben Bergen, Peter and Jessie Neufeld, and Bernie Nikkel.
Alice was born on Dec 7, 1934 third oldest in a family of 7 children, and chose to remain on the farm with her parents until she married Edward Cornelson on July 13, 1957. Together mom and dad owned and operated farms in Boissevain, Homewood and Rosenfeld, MB. Together also, they pastored and cared for 3 Mennonite congregations, and then later 5 more congregations for shorter interim assignments. Dad was the preacher and teacher, and mom was the hostess, warm hug and smile that rounded out the pastoral care needs of the congregation.
Mom was a homemaker extraordinaire. Baking, sewing, cooking, cleaning, canning, and ironing was all done with the utmost of focused detail. Mom loved shopping! Malls, Salvation Army, Garage Sales. Mom loved music and right to the end knew and sang the words of the hymns. Mom was a devoted and committed child of God who was baptized on confession of her faith as a young adult. She never waivered from her understanding of God’s love for her and her love for others.
Mom spoke German, English and dementia. Often we were challenged to understand her 3rd language, but she knew the words, the joys, the things that were funny, and we watched, listened and tried to learn. Up until the end her blue eyes sparkled, she laughed, danced and sang, she prayed and she held our hands with a grip that defied her frail body.
A huge thank you to the wonderful staff of 3 West and B 1 for your lovingly and skilled cared for mom and for us. Thank you Chris and Moses for your brilliant pastoral care in mom’s final moments. Rest well mom and don’t worry, we will take care of each other.
Funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 10, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the Sterling Mennonite Fellowship, 1008 Dakota St., Winnipeg, MB. Viewing prior to the service. Interment will be held in the Rosenfeld Cemetery.
Memorial donations to SMF – Kitchen Fund. 1008 Dakota St., Wpg, MB, R2N 1P2.
Many called her a fighter, we call her committed, devoted, faithful and endless in her love and service not only to her family, but to those who God placed her alongside of. Mom died reluctantly, because acknowledging that she needed rest didn’t come naturally for her. She hated to leave a party or gathering, she was most alive in the company of the whole family, or in one of the many church foyers she moved around in, or when on the annual Hildebrand sister events, or alone with our dad, who she learned to live without for almost 6 years.
Alice is survived by her 4 children, their spouses, her grandchildren and great grandchildren– Garry (Dianne), Shane (Larissa), Davis, Scott and son Vaughn. Karen (Tony), Melanie (Jon) children Samuel, Elise, Greg (Jackie) daughter Norah, Brent (Alison) daughter Rosie. Tim (Shelley), Ashton, Brynn (Jayson), Bowen (Morgan). Myron (Bev), Erin, Abby (Luke), her brother Edwin Hildebrand, and sister Erna (Walter)Peters, her brother in laws Abe Reimer(Betty) and Alvin Friesen, sister in laws Helen Bergen, Mary Anne Hildebrand, and Mary Nikkel.
Along the way mom mourned the loss of her parents Abram and Frieda, husband Edward , her granddaughter Corinne Leanne, siblings Helen, Hugo, Vern, Frieda, in laws Kathy Hildebrand, Ben Bergen, Peter and Jessie Neufeld, and Bernie Nikkel.
Alice was born on Dec 7, 1934 third oldest in a family of 7 children, and chose to remain on the farm with her parents until she married Edward Cornelson on July 13, 1957. Together mom and dad owned and operated farms in Boissevain, Homewood and Rosenfeld, MB. Together also, they pastored and cared for 3 Mennonite congregations, and then later 5 more congregations for shorter interim assignments. Dad was the preacher and teacher, and mom was the hostess, warm hug and smile that rounded out the pastoral care needs of the congregation.
Mom was a homemaker extraordinaire. Baking, sewing, cooking, cleaning, canning, and ironing was all done with the utmost of focused detail. Mom loved shopping! Malls, Salvation Army, Garage Sales. Mom loved music and right to the end knew and sang the words of the hymns. Mom was a devoted and committed child of God who was baptized on confession of her faith as a young adult. She never waivered from her understanding of God’s love for her and her love for others.
Mom spoke German, English and dementia. Often we were challenged to understand her 3rd language, but she knew the words, the joys, the things that were funny, and we watched, listened and tried to learn. Up until the end her blue eyes sparkled, she laughed, danced and sang, she prayed and she held our hands with a grip that defied her frail body.
A huge thank you to the wonderful staff of 3 West and B 1 for your lovingly and skilled cared for mom and for us. Thank you Chris and Moses for your brilliant pastoral care in mom’s final moments. Rest well mom and don’t worry, we will take care of each other.
Funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 10, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the Sterling Mennonite Fellowship, 1008 Dakota St., Winnipeg, MB. Viewing prior to the service. Interment will be held in the Rosenfeld Cemetery.
Memorial donations to SMF – Kitchen Fund. 1008 Dakota St., Wpg, MB, R2N 1P2.