Barbara (Barb) Fehr, 70, of Schanzenfeld, Manitoba, died at the Health Sciences Center, Winnipeg of heart failure on April 10, 2025.
Mom was born to Anton and Margaret Heppner on May 6, 1954 at the Altona Hospital in Altona, Manitoba. She was the fourth of nine children. She is survived by her husband of 48 years David (or Dave), their sons James (Ashley) and Robert (Janessa), and six granddaughters - Aliya, Teil, Rhylen, Paige, Scarlett, and Coral. She is also survived by four sisters, three brothers and many nieces and nephews, having been pre-deceased by her parents, one brother, and one sister.
Mom grew up on a farm in the RM of Rhineland. She attended elementary school at Kleinstadt, Amsterdam, and Rosenfelt Schools. She attended high school at WC Miller Collegiate in Altona. Mom married Dave Fehr on October 16, 1976. They had two sons, James (1984) and Robert (1986).
Faith was very important to Mom, the center of who she was. Mom accepted Christ in her teenage years, and she was baptized upon confession of her faith in the Altona Sommerfeld church. Mom and Dad attended the Winkler Sommerfeld Church for 48 years, their entire married life. She volunteered as a Sunday school teacher for many of those years. Mom’s faith was evident through her actions, in how she loved the people she came in contact with in her life – at work, at church, and in the community. She let the light of Christ shine through her daily life.
Mom started working at the Health Sciences Center in Winnipeg as a Kitchen Assistant (dietary department), and then worked at Bethel Hospital in Winkler as a Healthcare Aide. She stopped working outside the home to raise their boys, and later returned to employment outside the home, working at Boundary Trails Health Center for the remainder of her career. Mom worked mostly in the O.R., and formed many lifelong friendships at BTHC. She formally retired from Boundary Trails in 2020, but still worked casually into 2024. Mom very much enjoyed her work; it gave her great purpose. She loved the people she worked with – whether they were surgeons, doctors, nurses, aides, or housekeeping staff, Mom loved them the same. She also enjoyed her role in caring for patients that came through the O.R., she was able to provide encouragement and comfort to folks that she went to get for their surgical procedures. It was a highlight for her.
Mom was diagnosed with stomach cancer in January 2025. She was in and out of the hospital in January and February. Mom underwent stomach removal surgery on March 6, 2025 at Health Sciences Center, and remained in the hospital to recover. Due to Mom’s medical history, which included surgeries for a heart valve replacement and a pacemaker, her recovery was complicated and difficult. On April 10, 2025 Mom went to be with her savior, peacefully in her sleep.
We remember Barb as dearly loved wife, mom, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. Mom loved flowers, sweets, and her granddaughters. Mom said she had boys of her own, but she knew her girls would always come later – and boy did they!
Thank you to Wiebe Funeral home, Pastor Art Wiebe and volunteers from the Sommerfeld church. Thank you to all who prayed for our family. Thank you to the staff at both HSC & BTHC who provided care for Mom. As a family we truly felt the genuine concern from all the staff at both hospitals. We are especially grateful for every effort that was made in the healing process over the past few weeks, and we recognize that ultimate healing was provide through her Lord and Savior, Jesus.
Mom was born to Anton and Margaret Heppner on May 6, 1954 at the Altona Hospital in Altona, Manitoba. She was the fourth of nine children. She is survived by her husband of 48 years David (or Dave), their sons James (Ashley) and Robert (Janessa), and six granddaughters - Aliya, Teil, Rhylen, Paige, Scarlett, and Coral. She is also survived by four sisters, three brothers and many nieces and nephews, having been pre-deceased by her parents, one brother, and one sister.
Mom grew up on a farm in the RM of Rhineland. She attended elementary school at Kleinstadt, Amsterdam, and Rosenfelt Schools. She attended high school at WC Miller Collegiate in Altona. Mom married Dave Fehr on October 16, 1976. They had two sons, James (1984) and Robert (1986).
Faith was very important to Mom, the center of who she was. Mom accepted Christ in her teenage years, and she was baptized upon confession of her faith in the Altona Sommerfeld church. Mom and Dad attended the Winkler Sommerfeld Church for 48 years, their entire married life. She volunteered as a Sunday school teacher for many of those years. Mom’s faith was evident through her actions, in how she loved the people she came in contact with in her life – at work, at church, and in the community. She let the light of Christ shine through her daily life.
Mom started working at the Health Sciences Center in Winnipeg as a Kitchen Assistant (dietary department), and then worked at Bethel Hospital in Winkler as a Healthcare Aide. She stopped working outside the home to raise their boys, and later returned to employment outside the home, working at Boundary Trails Health Center for the remainder of her career. Mom worked mostly in the O.R., and formed many lifelong friendships at BTHC. She formally retired from Boundary Trails in 2020, but still worked casually into 2024. Mom very much enjoyed her work; it gave her great purpose. She loved the people she worked with – whether they were surgeons, doctors, nurses, aides, or housekeeping staff, Mom loved them the same. She also enjoyed her role in caring for patients that came through the O.R., she was able to provide encouragement and comfort to folks that she went to get for their surgical procedures. It was a highlight for her.
Mom was diagnosed with stomach cancer in January 2025. She was in and out of the hospital in January and February. Mom underwent stomach removal surgery on March 6, 2025 at Health Sciences Center, and remained in the hospital to recover. Due to Mom’s medical history, which included surgeries for a heart valve replacement and a pacemaker, her recovery was complicated and difficult. On April 10, 2025 Mom went to be with her savior, peacefully in her sleep.
We remember Barb as dearly loved wife, mom, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. Mom loved flowers, sweets, and her granddaughters. Mom said she had boys of her own, but she knew her girls would always come later – and boy did they!
Thank you to Wiebe Funeral home, Pastor Art Wiebe and volunteers from the Sommerfeld church. Thank you to all who prayed for our family. Thank you to the staff at both HSC & BTHC who provided care for Mom. As a family we truly felt the genuine concern from all the staff at both hospitals. We are especially grateful for every effort that was made in the healing process over the past few weeks, and we recognize that ultimate healing was provide through her Lord and Savior, Jesus.