TINA WIEBE, of Lethbridge, beloved wife of the late Henry Wiebe, passed away peacefully at the Chinook Regional Hospital, on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at the age of 100 years.
Tina Wiebe was born November 13, 1921, to Henry and Katarina Peters in Konteniusfeld, South Russia and in 1925 emigrated to Canada. She lived with her parents and siblings first in Aberdeen, SK; then Glenwood, AB; and then Gem, AB. She was the oldest of 8 children: Tina, Helen, Henry, Lydia, Erna, Anne, Martha and Ernie. As a teenager, Tina worked for three months as a housekeeper for a judge's family in Calgary. This is where she learned to cut grapefruit, for all those who remember this staple at her breakfast table.
In the fall of 1939-40, she attended Bible School in Coaldale, AB, and there met Henry Martin Wiebe. They fell in love, wrote letters while Henry was in army camp as a conscientious objector, and were married on a balmy December 21, 1941 in Gem, AB. Tina and Henry lived first in Mission/Matsqui, B.C. so he could complete his wartime commitments. Milton and Caroline were both born there. They returned to Alberta, living in Coaldale for a time while Henry worked in a garage there. In 1947, they moved back to Gem where Henry with his brother-in-law Henry Peters started Henry's Service, an auto repair shop. Here Judy, Lillian and Myrna were born. Tina loved to serve her family: sewing clothes, tending her garden, preserving the summer's harvest, and providing for her family's needs. She taught her children to work by her example. In the Gem M.B. church, she periodically led the women's group, and
taught Sunday School.
In 1964, they sold Henry's Service and built a new house and farmed in south Gem for several years. When they sold the farm, they moved to Brooks, where Henry worked at Modern Auto and Tina worked at the vegetable processing plant and in the Brooks Hospital, eventually both retiring. In these years, they enjoyed camping trips with their trailer and van, bus trips to the USA plus overseas to Israel and Europe, fishing at Lake Newell, and their involvement with the Gideon Ministry Bible distribution. There they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
In 1994, they moved to their new condo in Lethbridge which they enjoyed together for two years before the Lord took Henry just before his 80th birthday in 1996. Tina continued to live at the condo before moving to Pemmican Lodge. Her faith in her God sustained her through her widowhood. She would take some trips to see her family, take in curling bonspiels with siblings, took a cruise with a friend and a trip to Mexico with Myrna. She loved to watch curling and her beloved Blue Jay's baseball on TV while enjoying crochet or word search puzzles to pass the time. Being able to walk was always important to her and living on the edge of the Lethbridge coulees gave her plenty of opportunity to get exercise and fresh air.
Tina was predeceased by her parents, her sister Lydia, her brother and sister-in-law Henry and Annie Peters, her sister and brother-in-law Helen and Abe Klassen, her brother-in-law Jim Thibideau, her sister and brother-in-law Anne and Menno Boldt, her step granddaughter Vanessa Zytaruk, her son-in-law Bud (Clarence) O'Brien, and her beloved husband Henry (August 8, 1996).
She leaves behind her children: Milt (Martha) Wiebe of Lethbridge, Carol O'Brien of Medicine Hat, Judy (Richard) Klassen of Whitehorse, Yukon, Lil (Al) Muir of Red Deer and Myrna Wiebe (Brian Zytaruk) of Gray Creek, B.C.; grandchildren: James & Miriam Wiebe, Bryan Wiebe, Wayne O'Brien, Colin O'Brien, Phil & Carla Muir, Brad Muir and Danielle Verklan, Shari Klassen, and Amy Klassen; great-grandchildren: Jordan, Megan, Natalie, Max, Nikki, Jonathan, Claira, Nate, Harper, Crosby and Bodhi; and one great-great-granddaughter, Amelia.
Tina will be remembered as a frugal woman, one of careful and few words, a strong mind, and a deep love for each of her family members. Her sense of personal self-discipline kept her healthy and her mind strong until the end, patiently waiting to be taken home to be with the Lord.
Memorial donations may be made to Gideon Bibles.
A Funeral Service will be held at CORNERSTONE FUNERAL HOME, 2825 - 32 Street South, Lethbridge, on Friday, July 29, 2022 at 11:00 A.M. with Pastor Tim Seim officiating. The service will be livestreamed and may be accessed via Tina's obituary on the Cornerstone website.
Tina will be laid to rest with her husband Henry in Mountain View Cemetery during a private family graveside service.
The family wishes to thank the loving care of the staff at Pemmican Lodge, Golden Acres Lodge, and Chinook Regional Hospital.
Lenora Dyck, August 4, 2022
Dan & Marg Wiebe, July 29, 2022
Evelyn Peters, July 28, 2022
Bob & Joy Johnstone, July 27, 2022