Helen Pauls
(nee Janzen)
March 12, 1927 - April 18, 2026
Helen Pauls, nee Janzen, was born March 12, 1927 in Adelsheim, Ukraine, the former USSR, the fourth child of Jacob and Katharina (Peters) Janzen. At the age of 22, she immigrated to Canada, settling in Manitou, and later Crystal City and Morden.
Helen experienced much in her life, from her early years where she recalled enjoying school, playing with her older sister and brothers and swimming in the Dnieper River. She also remembered the fruit trees and vegetable gardens as well as the farm animals. As a young adult, she experienced war-torn Russia and all that it entailed and her immigration to the beautiful land of Canada. Showing great valour and resilience in all that she experienced, she embraced this new home, even the difficult English language, and learned a new way of life. She had lost her father to the Great Terror of 1937-1938. She had also made the Great Trek, escaping Stalin rule with thousands of Mennonite refugees, and miraculously came out of Russia to Poland. With the help of MCC, sponsored by close relatives, she, her brothers and her mother came to Canada in June of 1949. Her first jobs in Canada were as a housekeeper and doing laundry at the Manitou Hospital.
Her marriage to the love of her life, Henry Pauls on March 12, 1955, on her twenty-eighth birthday and the two sons and three daughters that followed, made for a very busy life but one filled with meaning and purpose. She was hard-working and dedicated in all she did for the family and for the family farm at Purves, things like sewing for her girls, knitting and crocheting blankets, baking delicious things and bringing meals to the field. Helen’s hobbies included travelling, music and books. Singing was one of Helen’s loves and she and we all did a lot of this, especially in her later years as she remembered all the words of the beloved hymns even while other words were fading from her memory.
Faith in God, which became Helen’s own during the difficult time of World War II, was an important aspect of her life. Her faith journey began in her homeland, despite the fact that Church, Bible Reading and Prayer were forbidden and had to be done in secret. Later when there were more freedoms, Helen professed faith and was baptized in the Dnieper River.
After retiring from the farm, Helen with Henry, moved to Morden where they enjoyed twelve years at Oakwest Estates. After this, because of health issues, both Helen and Henry were able to go into Care, first at St. Claude and then at Tabor Home where first Henry and then Helen passed away.
Helen was predeceased by her husband, Henry Pauls in 2022, her parents, Jacob in 1938 in USSR and Katharina Janzen in 1957 in Manitou, two brothers, Jacob and John and a sister Tina. She was also pre-deceased by many other friends and in-laws and her specials cousins, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Mary Kasper as well as their parents, Uncle Heinrich and Aunt Sarah Kasper.
She leaves to mourn her children, Ernie (Alvina), Kathy (Rocky) Wiebe, Mary Anne (Aron) Friesen, Susan, James (Shawna) and 11 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren and one brother, Peter.
Helen passed from this life to the next, on April 18, 2026 at the age of 99 years, one month and six days. We rejoice that she is, “Absent from the body, but present with her Lord.” “Precious in the Lord, is the death of His saint.”
(nee Janzen)
March 12, 1927 - April 18, 2026
Helen Pauls, nee Janzen, was born March 12, 1927 in Adelsheim, Ukraine, the former USSR, the fourth child of Jacob and Katharina (Peters) Janzen. At the age of 22, she immigrated to Canada, settling in Manitou, and later Crystal City and Morden.
Helen experienced much in her life, from her early years where she recalled enjoying school, playing with her older sister and brothers and swimming in the Dnieper River. She also remembered the fruit trees and vegetable gardens as well as the farm animals. As a young adult, she experienced war-torn Russia and all that it entailed and her immigration to the beautiful land of Canada. Showing great valour and resilience in all that she experienced, she embraced this new home, even the difficult English language, and learned a new way of life. She had lost her father to the Great Terror of 1937-1938. She had also made the Great Trek, escaping Stalin rule with thousands of Mennonite refugees, and miraculously came out of Russia to Poland. With the help of MCC, sponsored by close relatives, she, her brothers and her mother came to Canada in June of 1949. Her first jobs in Canada were as a housekeeper and doing laundry at the Manitou Hospital.
Her marriage to the love of her life, Henry Pauls on March 12, 1955, on her twenty-eighth birthday and the two sons and three daughters that followed, made for a very busy life but one filled with meaning and purpose. She was hard-working and dedicated in all she did for the family and for the family farm at Purves, things like sewing for her girls, knitting and crocheting blankets, baking delicious things and bringing meals to the field. Helen’s hobbies included travelling, music and books. Singing was one of Helen’s loves and she and we all did a lot of this, especially in her later years as she remembered all the words of the beloved hymns even while other words were fading from her memory.
Faith in God, which became Helen’s own during the difficult time of World War II, was an important aspect of her life. Her faith journey began in her homeland, despite the fact that Church, Bible Reading and Prayer were forbidden and had to be done in secret. Later when there were more freedoms, Helen professed faith and was baptized in the Dnieper River.
After retiring from the farm, Helen with Henry, moved to Morden where they enjoyed twelve years at Oakwest Estates. After this, because of health issues, both Helen and Henry were able to go into Care, first at St. Claude and then at Tabor Home where first Henry and then Helen passed away.
Helen was predeceased by her husband, Henry Pauls in 2022, her parents, Jacob in 1938 in USSR and Katharina Janzen in 1957 in Manitou, two brothers, Jacob and John and a sister Tina. She was also pre-deceased by many other friends and in-laws and her specials cousins, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Mary Kasper as well as their parents, Uncle Heinrich and Aunt Sarah Kasper.
She leaves to mourn her children, Ernie (Alvina), Kathy (Rocky) Wiebe, Mary Anne (Aron) Friesen, Susan, James (Shawna) and 11 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren and one brother, Peter.
Helen passed from this life to the next, on April 18, 2026 at the age of 99 years, one month and six days. We rejoice that she is, “Absent from the body, but present with her Lord.” “Precious in the Lord, is the death of His saint.”