Helen Schmidt

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HELEN SCHMIDT

Helen Schmidt (nee Reimer), our mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away at the Bethesda Hospital in Steinbach, MB on Friday, June 30, 2017. She was predeceased by her husband Henry, in November 2015, and is survived by four sons and one daughter, Rick (Terry), Darlene Klassen (Len), Len, (Carla), Ray (Shannon), and Larry (Dawn), 17 grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. She is also survived by seven sisters and three brothers.

Helen was born on November 5, 1937 near Cuauhtemoc, Mexico to John and Margaret Reimer, where she grew up, went to school, and helped on the family farm. In 1952, the entire family moved to Canada, settling near Winkler Manitoba. In early 1957, she met Henry Schmidt, who lived and worked in Winnipeg, and they were married later that year, on October 6, in the Old Colony Church in Chortitz, MB.

The new couple set up home in the west end of Winnipeg, near Dad’s place of work, and the following August, their first child was born, with four more to follow between then and 1969. Mum was always very industrious, so in addition to keeping home and raising the family, she wanted to help with the finances, so she set up a commercial sewing machine in the house, and did piecework for some of the clothing manufacturers in Winnipeg. She continued this for a number of years, even after they moved to Charleswood in 1965, when Dad started his trucking business, and Mum got the big garden she had always wanted. As Dad’s business became busier, she shifted her efforts from sewing to running the home office, answering phones, taking orders, directing the yard traffic, and so on. And then came her Matol business, which she truly loved. We suspect many of you reading this will have been the recipient of that dark brown, magic elixir.

In 2009, they sold their home in Charleswood and purchased one in Steinbach. Mum loved being here, her and Dad made many new friends, and they became regulars at Tim Horton’s, which Mum kept on with until she was no longer able to get out.

Mum very much enjoyed travelling and in addition to the family road trips to places like Mexico, BC, and Ontario, her and Dad started spending a good portion of the winter in Cocoa Beach, Florida in the early 80’s. They also vacationed in Mexico, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and New Zealand.

Mum’s faith was an integral part of her life, always active in the churches she and Dad attended in Winnipeg. Even as her health was failing, she was determined to get to the Sunday service at Stonybrook Fellowship, where she and Dad had attended since moving to Steinbach. Her trust in God never wavered, even during the difficult times that often accompany life. As her illness progressed over the last several months, she maintained a continually positive outlook, knowing that her life was in God’s hands.

The funeral service will be held on Friday, July 7, 2017, at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach, MB., with viewing at 9:30 a.m., and the service at 10:00. The interment will take place at the Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens in Winnipeg at 2:30 p.m..

Our heartfelt gratitude to Dr Karen Toews and the staff at Bethesda Hospital for the wonderful care they provided.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be to the Bethesda Foundation, Steinbach.

Arrangements by
Birchwood Funeral Chapel
1-204-346-1030 or 1-888-454-1030

As published in The Carillon on Jul 05, 2017