Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, December 6 at 2:00PM at Winkler Sommerfeld Mennonite Church. Viewing at Wiebe Funeral Home, Winkler on Tuesday from 1-6:00PM and at the church prior to the service. Interment to follow at Osterwick Cemetery. Donations may be made to assist the family with expenses.
Maria (Mary) Wiebe (nee Thiessen)
1947 ~ 2023
Mom was born in Mexico on Easter Monday, April 7, 1947, to Isaac & Helena (nee Froese) Thiessen, the second of ten children. She spent her childhood years in Mexico where she went to school, learned how to sew and cook, and helped take care of her younger siblings. A short time after her 13th birthday, the family moved to Ontario, Canada and a few years later settled in Manitoba. Some of her early jobs included hoeing beets and onions, and working at the sewing factory in Morden. She was baptized upon the confession of her Faith in the Blumenfeld Rhineland Mennonite
Church in the spring of 1967. Mom was introduced to Dad by her brother Bill in 1968. They were married on July 7th that same year in Blumenfeld. Over the next couple of years, they welcomed their three children: Helen in 1969, Eva in 1971 and Johnny in 1972. In 1982, Mom and Dad took care of her cousin’s daughter, Anna Froese, for several months, and in 1983, her nephew, Joey Thiessen, for a year. Even though these were short times, Mom always considered them her children. Dad spent most of his life working as a farm mechanic, so our family moved around a lot as we were growing up. Whether we were living in Winkler, Lowe Farm, Newton, Edwin or many other places, Mom and Dad always made sure that we were able to visit our extended family. Sundays and holidays were often spent driving to visit with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. Mom kept herself busy by taking care of us, being a seamstress, and her love of gardening. Our house was always full of plants. She also spent many hours helping out on the farms where Dad worked, driving tractors, trucks, and combines during harvest. Mom loved her role as Grandma to her nine grandchildren and loved spending as much time with them as she could, right up until the end. Her grandchildren kept her busy by making crafts with her, baking or spending time in her garden. For a few years, Mom and Dad lived right across the street from the school that the oldest grandkids attended. Every morning she would watch for the kids to make sure they made it to school on time, and afternoons were spent having snacks ready for the kids when they were done with school. As Mom got older, the grandkids loved doing puzzles with her and helping with odds and ends around the house. She became a great grandma to Elliot in 2022 and watching him grow and learn gave her so much joy. Mom was also loved as a bonus grandma to many of her youngest nieces and nephews. She truly enjoyed spending time with them as well.
Mom was admitted to the hospital on July 24th, 2023, when her mobility had declined to the point where she could no longer take care of herself. As she was waiting for placement in Tabor Home, she developed complications that required surgery. Knowing the risks were very high for her, she chose not to have the surgery and instead spend whatever time she had left surrounded by family and friends. She felt at peace leaving her life in God’s hands. Her last few days were spent enjoying the company of many visitors. She was able to recognize and greet each person that came to see her. She passed away peacefully at 4:20am on Saturday, December 2nd, with family at her side. She will be dearly missed by so many people!
She is survived by daughter Helen and her husband Daryl, their children Lucas, Shane and Adam; daughter Eva and her husband John, their children Lisa and Logan; son Johnny and his wife Bertha, their children Joshua, Jordan, Emily and her husband Jacob, Jonah. She was blessed with one great grandson, Elliot. She is also survived by two sisters, four brothers, and their families. She was predeceased by her husband, Cornie, her parents, Isaac and Helena Thiessen, one brother in infancy, her brother Isaac and her sister Helen.
We, her children, would like to thank her many homecare workers, medical staff at Boundary Trails, as well as an extra thank you to her sisters Tina Fehr and Marge Dyck, brother John Thiessen, and cousin Eva Giesbrecht, for the many hours they spent caring for Mom in the hospital and supporting us through this difficult time.
Maria (Mary) Wiebe (nee Thiessen)
1947 ~ 2023
Mom was born in Mexico on Easter Monday, April 7, 1947, to Isaac & Helena (nee Froese) Thiessen, the second of ten children. She spent her childhood years in Mexico where she went to school, learned how to sew and cook, and helped take care of her younger siblings. A short time after her 13th birthday, the family moved to Ontario, Canada and a few years later settled in Manitoba. Some of her early jobs included hoeing beets and onions, and working at the sewing factory in Morden. She was baptized upon the confession of her Faith in the Blumenfeld Rhineland Mennonite
Church in the spring of 1967. Mom was introduced to Dad by her brother Bill in 1968. They were married on July 7th that same year in Blumenfeld. Over the next couple of years, they welcomed their three children: Helen in 1969, Eva in 1971 and Johnny in 1972. In 1982, Mom and Dad took care of her cousin’s daughter, Anna Froese, for several months, and in 1983, her nephew, Joey Thiessen, for a year. Even though these were short times, Mom always considered them her children. Dad spent most of his life working as a farm mechanic, so our family moved around a lot as we were growing up. Whether we were living in Winkler, Lowe Farm, Newton, Edwin or many other places, Mom and Dad always made sure that we were able to visit our extended family. Sundays and holidays were often spent driving to visit with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. Mom kept herself busy by taking care of us, being a seamstress, and her love of gardening. Our house was always full of plants. She also spent many hours helping out on the farms where Dad worked, driving tractors, trucks, and combines during harvest. Mom loved her role as Grandma to her nine grandchildren and loved spending as much time with them as she could, right up until the end. Her grandchildren kept her busy by making crafts with her, baking or spending time in her garden. For a few years, Mom and Dad lived right across the street from the school that the oldest grandkids attended. Every morning she would watch for the kids to make sure they made it to school on time, and afternoons were spent having snacks ready for the kids when they were done with school. As Mom got older, the grandkids loved doing puzzles with her and helping with odds and ends around the house. She became a great grandma to Elliot in 2022 and watching him grow and learn gave her so much joy. Mom was also loved as a bonus grandma to many of her youngest nieces and nephews. She truly enjoyed spending time with them as well.
Mom was admitted to the hospital on July 24th, 2023, when her mobility had declined to the point where she could no longer take care of herself. As she was waiting for placement in Tabor Home, she developed complications that required surgery. Knowing the risks were very high for her, she chose not to have the surgery and instead spend whatever time she had left surrounded by family and friends. She felt at peace leaving her life in God’s hands. Her last few days were spent enjoying the company of many visitors. She was able to recognize and greet each person that came to see her. She passed away peacefully at 4:20am on Saturday, December 2nd, with family at her side. She will be dearly missed by so many people!
She is survived by daughter Helen and her husband Daryl, their children Lucas, Shane and Adam; daughter Eva and her husband John, their children Lisa and Logan; son Johnny and his wife Bertha, their children Joshua, Jordan, Emily and her husband Jacob, Jonah. She was blessed with one great grandson, Elliot. She is also survived by two sisters, four brothers, and their families. She was predeceased by her husband, Cornie, her parents, Isaac and Helena Thiessen, one brother in infancy, her brother Isaac and her sister Helen.
We, her children, would like to thank her many homecare workers, medical staff at Boundary Trails, as well as an extra thank you to her sisters Tina Fehr and Marge Dyck, brother John Thiessen, and cousin Eva Giesbrecht, for the many hours they spent caring for Mom in the hospital and supporting us through this difficult time.