Pauline Penner

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

PAULINE PENNER

Our mother, Pauline Unger was born in the hamlet of Prairie Rose nearly 90 years ago on a late fall day in November of 1924. Her parents were Abram and Katie Unger. Several years after she was born her parents moved to a bend in the Seine River near Ste. Anne, and this was to be where she lived until she married dad, Jake Penner, in 1951. They were married on Dominion Day, which later became Canada Day, and Mom always thought it nice that all of Canada would celebrate their anniversary.

Mom would sometimes talk about her growing up years, about her school years, the time spent doing farm work, and then later as a bookkeeper at Ste Anne coop. It was during these years at Ste Anne, that she gave her heart to God. She had been seeing Dad awhile when in his typical 'get to the point' way he said "we should get married" and that's what they did.

Mom then became a homemaker, going with Dad to the bush camps in the Whiteshell and elsewhere in the winters where Dad made a livelihood with a sawmill and a crew of men cutting trees and milling box lumber. Their first months of marriage were spent at Betula Lake. We children will treasure those bush camp memories the rest of our lives. Jake Orlando was born first, Marjorie Ellen was born second and then Lorne Howard. Mom did home schooling for two years in the small house trailer the family lived in during the winter months. Mom and Dad had two daughters who died in infancy, Sheila Ann and Karen Ruth. Last but not least, Myrna Ruth was born. Dad and Mom made a livelihood in the gravel business for the remaining duration of our growing up years. Mom even learned to drive truck and would sometimes pick us up at school in bad weather with a single axle tractor. We as children look back on the gravel pit days with fondness as we remember the exploring we would do, the clear blue waters we would swim in, and the many picnic lunches Mom would bring. They lived 4 miles west of the #12 on the Greenland Road for about 27 years and moved 6 miles east along the Greenland road in 1978, where they would live out their sunset years.

Mom was very lonely after Dad’s tragic passing in a vehicle accident in 2000. She continued to live on the acreage they had enjoyed and spent many long hours in upkeep. She was driven to hard work, and us children would be given accounts of the hundreds of bags of leaves she would gather in every fall with her riding mower. Her yard work became her life and she would become very anxious whenever the mower broke down. We are told the mechanics at Chabot would heave a sigh whenever her mower was brought in to be repaired, it was not unusual to have a broken blade or some other real or imagined repair to remedy. Although Dad had been quite ready to call in family for fun and yard work, Mom had an independent streak and managed those 6 acres of lawn and trees mostly by herself. She spent her senior winter months in the fine art of crocheting doilies.

Failing health obliged her to move into the self-care suites of the Maplewood Manor in 2012. With continuing declining dementia she made the move into full care in 2013. She was glad to be able to spend her last years with her sister Nettie and later her older sister, Lizzie. It was here she passed away in the late afternoon of October 4th, 2014, leaving us an assurance of finding her eternal reward. She cared about the spiritual welfare of those coming after her.

Mom did the bookkeeping for Dad's various businesses and will be remembered as a hard worker and a caring mother, living through times that were far from easy.

She was predeceased by Dad, two infant daughters, as well as daughter Marge, who's passing at 39 years of age hit Mom and Dad hard. A grandson, Daniel, passed on just short months before Mother's passing, as well as brothers Abe and Otto.

Left to mourn are two sons, Orlando and Luanna of Blumenort, Lorne and Carol of Ste. Anne, daughter Myrna of Steinbach, and son-in-law Winston and his wife Noreen, as well as 18 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren, two brothers Bill and Laverna, and Tony and Eva, and sisters Nettie, Lizzie, Matilda and husband David Wohlgemuth, and sister-in-law Frances. She will be missed by all.

We as a family say a gracious thank you to all of the staff at Maplewood Manor for the professional and loving care she received, as well as the many who went out of their way to make these last weeks easier.

Viewing will be at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. with a devotional at 7:30 p.m., and at the church prior to the service.

The funeral service for Pauline Penner will be held Wednesday, October 8th at 2:00 p.m. at Blumenort EMC with burial at the church cemetery.

Arrangements by
BIRCHWOOD FUNERAL CHAPEL
1-204-346-1030 OR 1-888-454-1030

As published in The Carillon on Oct 07, 2014