ESTHER KRAHN

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ESTHER KRAHN (nee HILDEBRAND) Following a long battle with cancer, Esther passed peacefully to her heavenly reward at the Palliative Care unit of the St. Boniface hospital on December 18, 2002. She was surrounded by family and friends throughout her illness and again particularly on the day she died. She leaves behind a legacy of faith, translated into prayer, good works and a zest for living that touched the lives of everyone who came in contact with her. Esther was born to Gehard and Helena (Reimer) Hildebrand in the Birkenhead area south of Winkler on June 13, 1940. She grew up well acquainted with the rigours of farm life and the rich Christian heritage that her parents and numerous siblings provided. Her early church experience in what is now the Winkler EMMC gave her a strong background from which she would make numerous faith decisions throughout the rest of her life. She made a strong personal commitment to follow the teachings of Jesus, from which she never wavered even though her daughter Cindy was severely injured in a car accident at an early age and her husband Neil was snatched from her side when her children were still very young. Again, these last two years, when asked whether she was not angry at God for what seemed like a most untimely illness, her response turned to a quiet acceptance that there must be a greater good in Gods providence that we were not at this moment able to see. She trained as a teacher and gained a Bachelor of Sciences degree which set her on a course of teaching Mathematics at various times in her life. In her early years of teaching in Sperling and Carman the teaching assignments included various other subjects and her high school basketball experiences as a student gave her additional valuable resources as a teacher. Later in life, as her children were growing more independent, she became involved with the Brandon University native teacher training programs as an adjunct professor, travelling to numerous aboriginal communities in northern Manitoba to teach Mathematics to aspiring teachers and teachers in training. She continued to teach young adults Mathematics in the River East school division and always found great rewards in her interaction with her students. Esther became heavily involved in the group home in Brandon where her daughter Cindy resided after becoming an adult and later, together with Anita Dueck formed a group home setting in Winnipeg , which Esther and Anita managed over the last decade. Esther would become a strong advocate for those issues that needed addressing where the care of Cindy was concerned. Her assertiveness was remarkable in other areas of her life as well, especially in the even-handed way that she pursued just causes, always seasoned with a good measure of grace. Just over three years ago she met her current husband, Alan Janzen whom she married a year later. Together they continued the faith journey that they had both begun in their "former lives", and enjoyed new family and friends that emerged as a result of this providential meeting. Despite the early intrusion of transitional cell carcinoma, their lives were filled with much joy and rich experiences. Esther will be missed greatly by her daughter Cynthia (Cindy), son Lyall and husband Alan Janzen with his children, Mark and Shana Janzen with grandchildren, Brad and Trevor, and Rachel (Janzen) and Dann Koller; as well as Esthers sisters and brothers and their spouses, Elizabeth (Hildebrand) Calyn of Grand Rapids, MB, Jerry and Marge Hildebrand (Winkler), Allen Churchill (Rideau Ferry, ON), Anne and David Winter (Winnipeg), Teenie and Sieg Wall, (Winnipeg), Agnes and Neil Pauls (Aylmer, ON), Mary (Hildebrand) Dyck (Edmonton, AB), Martha and Jack Pauls (Mission, BC), Phyllis and George Pauls (St. Catherines, ON), Dan and Darlene Hildebrand (Winnipeg) and many nieces and nephews. She leaves behind a large extended family and a very close circle of friends who will miss her presence at their prayer breakfasts. Though we mourn we are not without hope. Funeral services will be held at the Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church, 1771 Pembina Hwy. on Monday, December 23 at 2:00 p.m. with a viewing before the service. A public viewing will also be held at Klassens Funeral Chapel, 1897 Henderson Hwy. on Sunday, December 22 at 6:00 p.m. Donations may be made to Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship Midwest, 230 Sherbrook St. R3C 2B6. Arrangements entrusted to Klassen Funeral Chapel, 338-0331.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 22, 2002