Funeral service will be held at 11:00AM on Wednesday November 23, 2022 at Wiebe Funeral Chapel, Morden with interment to follow at Southside Cemetery. A fellowship lunch will be provided. Viewing will be one hour prior to the service.
Mary Klassen (nee Penner)
1936 ~ 2022
Peacefully on Thursday November 17 2022 with family by her side, Mary was called home by her Heavenly Father.
She is survived by one daughter, Tracy (Harv) Friesen, five grandchildren, Kristin, Katherine, Caleb, Clairissa, Sarah and four great-grandchildren, Braxtyn, Noah, Emily, and Grace, four sisters and three brothers. She was predeceased by her husband, John and son, Bernie, one brother and three sisters.
Mary was born July 9, 1936 along with her twin sister, Susan in Kronstal, MB to David D. and Maria Penner. She was the 7th of 12 children. She only recalls that growing up it was a very busy household and there was always work to be done. She and her twin sister Susan moved to Wpg and cleaned homes for the wealthy in the 1950s. In 1960 a friend set her up on a blind date with a very handsome young man. She was immediately smitten, as was he with her and they were married three months later. They began their little family 18 months later with the birth of a daughter, Tracy and three years later a son, Bernie. Work was not easy to find at that time so they moved from Morden to Wpg in 1962 until their retirement in 1995. They moved back to Morden that fall and enjoyed some of the best times making memories with family and new friends. Mom loved family gatherings. She would spend days preparing specific foods for each of her grandkids because she wanted to make their favorite. She loved gardening and she could grow some of the best tomato plants around. She was meticulous about when and how to water the plants and how to prune the plant to ensure the largest, juiciest tomatoes. A passion she tried to pass on to her children. She also reaping the rewards from the 5 large apple trees, and pear tree in the back yard. September was always a fun time at moms. Apple juice, applesauce, apple pie, or apple cake were a main staple when visiting. The "big kids" would be in the trees picking apples and the younger kids on the ground gathering up the ones that fell. They shared the bounty with many a family member and told all to pick extra to take home to share with neighbors. At the end of the day, she would express how tired she was and in the same breath how it made her heart glad that the house was full of people even when we were too noisy. As the years went by mom struggled with Parkinson's Disease. She was driven to stay active after the diagnosis. She was still able to walk short distances until a few weeks before her passing. She would say she didn't want to be a burden if she could still manage herself.
Mom knew that inevitably she would need to live in a Personal Care Home and she expressed that she only wanted to live in Salem Home. At first the move was great and then covid restrictions hit hard. That was an extremely difficult period of time for her. As difficult as it was, she had some of the most incredible caregivers at Salem Home. She would tell me she loved them. I would hear them express their love to her regularly and she would reply "everybody loves me here". That she knew she was loved, is one of the best gifts she could have ever received! Mom's health began to decline after the death of her son Bernie. She missed him so very much and would speak of him often.
The family would like to express their deepest appreciation to the staff on Evergreen at Salem Home. You gave our mom and grandmother so much love and laughter in her final years. There are no words to express our heartfelt gratitude to you all.
Funeral service will be held at 11:00AM on Wednesday November 23, 2022 at Wiebe Funeral Chapel, Morden with interment to follow at Southside Cemetery. A fellowship lunch will be provided.
Mary Klassen (nee Penner)
1936 ~ 2022
Peacefully on Thursday November 17 2022 with family by her side, Mary was called home by her Heavenly Father.
She is survived by one daughter, Tracy (Harv) Friesen, five grandchildren, Kristin, Katherine, Caleb, Clairissa, Sarah and four great-grandchildren, Braxtyn, Noah, Emily, and Grace, four sisters and three brothers. She was predeceased by her husband, John and son, Bernie, one brother and three sisters.
Mary was born July 9, 1936 along with her twin sister, Susan in Kronstal, MB to David D. and Maria Penner. She was the 7th of 12 children. She only recalls that growing up it was a very busy household and there was always work to be done. She and her twin sister Susan moved to Wpg and cleaned homes for the wealthy in the 1950s. In 1960 a friend set her up on a blind date with a very handsome young man. She was immediately smitten, as was he with her and they were married three months later. They began their little family 18 months later with the birth of a daughter, Tracy and three years later a son, Bernie. Work was not easy to find at that time so they moved from Morden to Wpg in 1962 until their retirement in 1995. They moved back to Morden that fall and enjoyed some of the best times making memories with family and new friends. Mom loved family gatherings. She would spend days preparing specific foods for each of her grandkids because she wanted to make their favorite. She loved gardening and she could grow some of the best tomato plants around. She was meticulous about when and how to water the plants and how to prune the plant to ensure the largest, juiciest tomatoes. A passion she tried to pass on to her children. She also reaping the rewards from the 5 large apple trees, and pear tree in the back yard. September was always a fun time at moms. Apple juice, applesauce, apple pie, or apple cake were a main staple when visiting. The "big kids" would be in the trees picking apples and the younger kids on the ground gathering up the ones that fell. They shared the bounty with many a family member and told all to pick extra to take home to share with neighbors. At the end of the day, she would express how tired she was and in the same breath how it made her heart glad that the house was full of people even when we were too noisy. As the years went by mom struggled with Parkinson's Disease. She was driven to stay active after the diagnosis. She was still able to walk short distances until a few weeks before her passing. She would say she didn't want to be a burden if she could still manage herself.
Mom knew that inevitably she would need to live in a Personal Care Home and she expressed that she only wanted to live in Salem Home. At first the move was great and then covid restrictions hit hard. That was an extremely difficult period of time for her. As difficult as it was, she had some of the most incredible caregivers at Salem Home. She would tell me she loved them. I would hear them express their love to her regularly and she would reply "everybody loves me here". That she knew she was loved, is one of the best gifts she could have ever received! Mom's health began to decline after the death of her son Bernie. She missed him so very much and would speak of him often.
The family would like to express their deepest appreciation to the staff on Evergreen at Salem Home. You gave our mom and grandmother so much love and laughter in her final years. There are no words to express our heartfelt gratitude to you all.
Funeral service will be held at 11:00AM on Wednesday November 23, 2022 at Wiebe Funeral Chapel, Morden with interment to follow at Southside Cemetery. A fellowship lunch will be provided.