VRENI FURER

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VRENI FURER
August 6, 1936 - March 10, 2021

Vreni died quietly in her home on March 10, 2021, after a brief illness. She will be deeply missed by her daughters, Monica (Paul) and Patricia (Hal); and her grandchildren, Christopher, Michelle, Matthew and Sarah. Vreni was predeceased by her beloved husband Othmar, two of her sisters, and her brother. She leaves behind one sister and a large, extended family in Switzerland.
Vreni was born in Winterthur, Switzerland to Clara and Eugene Kuster and was the youngest of five children. She grew up with a love of reading, music, and everything school-related. She spent time in Lausanne learning French and then lived in Zurich where she met her Othmi when he showed up to repair the telephones at her workplace. They were married in 1960 in a lovely all-day celebration and then spent six months in Paris studying and having wonderful adventures together. In 1962 they immigrated to Canada, initially with just the plan of learning English but then choosing to stay and raise their family. Vreni poured her love and energy into her children, teaching her daughters that they could achieve anything they wanted if they worked hard. She was the proudest mother and a very supportive wife. While she had been very settled in Toronto, she happily moved to Montreal and then to Winnipeg, encouraging Othmar to follow his career aspirations. Vreni spoke often about the almost five years she and Othmar later spent in Singapore, a real highlight for them both. Vreni was an active volunteer in Singapore, sang in a choir, and managed to learn some Mandarin, although she always said she forgot it as fast as she learned it. Upon her return to Winnipeg, Vreni decided to return to the work force, focusing first on real estate and later on fashion.
Her first grandchild, Chris, was born in 1993, with Michelle and Matthew arriving a few years later. This ushered in a new era for Vreni as she was truly an amazing grandmother. She retired after her youngest grandchild, Sarah, was born so that she would have more time to spend with her. "Thursdays with Grandma" were certainly a highlight of her young granddaughter's week. All four of her grandchildren loved sleepovers at her house, and were delighted to find a constant supply of Smarties and licorice in her pantry. She was always happy to get on the floor to play and read. She even tried to venture into the world of computer games with her grandchildren's guidance, but this was perhaps less of a natural fit for her! As her grandchildren reached adulthood, she continued to be their biggest supporter and much appreciated their love and caring.
Throughout their married life, Vreni and Othmar loved travelling and particularly enjoyed their cruises together. We all treasure our memories of family holidays to nearby places such as Kenora and Gimli, and further-flung adventures in the Caribbean, Switzerland and France. As she had as a small child, Vreni maintained her love of reading and music to the very end of her days. She learned to play piano as an adult, picked up the clarinet when she was in her 70s, and continued to sing in a number of choirs. She started to watch hockey games alongside Othmar, initially without much interest but, surprisingly, became a most devoted fan of the Winnipeg Jets. In the months before she died, she had started rereading many of her much-loved books, including biographies of composers, which she had brought with her from Switzerland 60 years earlier.
Othmar's long illness and his death in 2016 were incredibly difficult for Vreni. Life was not the same for her without him by her side. Despite this, she continued to derive joy from time spent with her daughters, her sons-in-law, and her grandchildren, and we did our best to show her how loved she was. She will be ever missed.
In lieu of flowers, Vreni would appreciate donations to the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation to support lymphoma research, in honour of her husband, or to a charity of your choice.
Cremation has taken place and a private family celebration will be held at a later date.

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 20, 2021