MARIA DIETER

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

MARIA DIETER On a beautiful spring morning, April 20, 2010, Maria Dieter, aged 90, passed away with her two daughters at her side in her home. She had been suffering the ill effects of bowel cancer. Maria was born on September 11, 1919 in Nikolajewka, Ukraine to Tatiana Karpenko and Jacob Kalmykowa. As a child, she enjoyed school, swimming in the river, picking cherries, playing with cousins and siblings and the company of her parents, aunts and grandparents. She attended Teacher's College as a teen, graduating with her teaching degree. While teaching in an elementary school, she met her husband Herbert Dieter, a fellow teacher, marrying him on February 23, 1940. She returned home once more to visit before the war broke out. She had two sons who died in infancy during the war. She travelled across Europe with her in-laws and baby daughter Nellie in tow, to be reunited with her husband Herbert in Germany. They lived in Germany for five years, had a son Eric, and immigrated to Canada, arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax in 1950 after a long sea voyage. That same year they had their son, Ervin. The family went to several small towns before settling in Winnipeg. Maria was a housewife and partner in a dairy farm with her husband. Together they bought a dairy / grain farm in Winnipeg and milked upwards of 75 head of Holstein cows by hand and machine for 30 years. During this time they had their youngest daughter, Marlene. In the 1960s, Maria attended the University of Manitoba taking Russian language courses becoming so proficient she was asked to teach Russian in the Language Department by Father Baran. Maria's greatest love was for her family and she turned this opportunity down to spend more time with them. Maria had a lifelong love for learning and was fluent in speaking, reading and writing German and English as well as Russian and Ukrainian. She had a keen interest in naturopathic health and plants, read many books, baked and cooked wholesome meals, sewed clothes, knitted, crocheted, cross-stitched and had a vegetable and flower garden every year into her old age. She had a special love for all of nature and animals, instilling this love to her children. In her later years she travelled with Herbert to Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Mexico, Germany, and Australia as well as British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. After more than 50 years of partnership in marriage, Herbert passed away in 1998. It was a huge loss. To take her mind off this, she enjoyed babysitting her new granddaughter Larissa. She began to spend summer weekends with Marlene and Chris at Falcon Lake, enjoying boat rides and cottage life. She always said she had lived a good life and enjoyed the company of family and lifelong friends the most. Her stories of the old country and overcoming hardships were filled with intrigue and awe. Forever the hostess, family and guests were offered the best at the table. During her illness, she wished to stay and die in her own home. With the help of her children and the many caring homecare attendants this final wish was fulfilled. Our heartfelt thank you to the homecare attendants who helped tend to our mother as if she was their own. She will be sorely missed and never forgotten. She is survived by her children, Nellie, Eric (Liz), Ervin (Janet), and Marlene (Christopher); grandchildren, James and Robert, Patrick (Cait) and Michael and Larissa. Oma was fortunate to experience Patrick and Cait's Canadian wedding last summer. Oma never had the pleasure of holding their newborn son, her great-grandson Hudson Dieter, but his picture was displayed prominently in her room in the last two months. Visitation and viewing will be held on Friday, April 23 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 2528 King Edward Street at Inkster. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 24 at 9:30 a.m. with Pastor Richard Beinart officiating also at Immanuel Lutheran Church on Inkster and King Edward Street followed with burial at Brookside Cemetery. NEIL BARDAL INC. (204) 949 - 2200 nbardal.mb.ca

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 23, 2010