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EDNA DREGER
Born: Mar 03, 1933
Date of Passing: Aug 06, 2026
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryEDNA DREGER
Edna Dreger, born March 3, 1933, passed away on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at the age of 93 years.
Edna is survived by four daughters, Linda Dreger (Ken), Bonnie Johnson McKinley (Rob), Judy Barnabe (Mike), and Shirley Berard (Renel); two sons, Norm (Shelley) and Ron (Bonnie); one sister, Norma Scott; and their families.
She was predeceased by her husband, Harvey Dreger in 2014; three grandchildren, Rheal Berard, Natalie Dal, and Jenny Johnson; son-in-law, Ralph Johnson; one sister, Mae Lyle; two brothers, Douglas Brown and Alex Brown; brothers-in-law, Bruce Lyle and Keith Scott; and sister-in-law, Carol Brown.
Edna was born to Alma Brown (nee Anderson) and her husband Norman. The second of five children, Edna grew up on a farm along the Red River, north of the community of Aubigny.
Upon completing high school, Edna enrolled at Manitoba Provincial Normal School to earn her teaching certificate. Edna taught for four years, two at King Edward Primary School in Winnipeg and two at the one-room Armour School from 1953-1955, before marrying Harvey Dreger who became her life partner for the next 60 years.
In 1956, Edna gave birth to the first of six children she and Harvey would welcome over the next nine years. Edna started the first kindergarten classes in Morris and Rosenort in 1970-1971, later also Lowe Farm, and taught for 28 years.
She earned a Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Arts, and Master of Education, all while teaching kindergarten full time, helping to run the farm, raising six kids, and numerous volunteer activities. And she even drove the school bus.
In her not-so-spare time, some of Edna’s volunteer activities included: served meals at the Red River Valley Lodge and the Davidson Centre (Villa), served on the Morris Museum Board, delivered Meals on Wheels, taught Sunday school for 23 years, was a member of the Women’s Institute where she twice served as president, the United Church Women, and regularly delivered flowers from her garden to the Red River Valley Lodge and Morris hospital.
When Edna was 66, she retired from teaching. She and Harvey traveled extensively but always felt the farm on St. Mary's Road was home. They were blessed with 13 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren and Farm Grandma dearly loved spending time with each of them. Nothing lit up Mum’s face more than children.
Sadly, Harvey passed in 2014 at the age of 83 and he is deeply missed.
As she aged, Edna faced challenges from dementia. Through these struggles she maintained her faith, beautiful smile, and her ability to connect with and lift up the people around her with her sense of humour.
Edna and Harvey were incredible, inspiring role models with strong work habits but also led by example how to have fun. Their commitment and respect for family made them an amazing team. There were many raucous and fun sessions around the farm kitchen table and their retirement had them travelling for 16 years, right into the year Harvey passed, including North America, Hawaii, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Australia, and Africa. The only continent they didn’t visit was Antarctica.
Edna’s last home was in the Red River Valley Lodge in Morris.
The funeral will be held Sunday, August 16, 2026, at the Morris United Church at 1:30 p.m.
Burial will take place prior to the funeral service at the Morris Cemetery on Sunday August 16, 2026, at 12:30 p.m.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 12, 2026