Lena Dyck (nee Friesen), 92, of Winnipeg passed away Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009 at Bethania Personal Care Home. Lena was the second of 7 children born to Erich and Helene (nee Andres) Friesen on January 31, 1917 in Elbing/Ellerwald, Prussia. At the age of 15 Lena was baptised on the confession of her faith by Dr. Emil Handiges and became a member of the Elbing/Ellerwald Mennonite church. She married Hans-Peter Bartel at age 21 and bore him 2 children. Their happy life came to an end with the onset of WWII, and the following years were to be the most terrifying of Lena’s life. All property and possessions had to be left behind in fleeing from the advancing Soviet army. Families were scattered and death claimed many loved ones including her 3 brothers who were all killed in action. She herself was widowed. Lena met Gerhard Dyck who along with many others had fled the Ukraine to escape communism. When Germany capitulated, the country was filled with refugees. Camps were set up to feed and house these people. It was here that Lena Bartel and Gerhard Dyck married in 1946. Fearing repatriation to USSR, Gerhard and Lena joined a group bound for the Mennonite colony of Volendam, Paraguay in 1948. Life here was primitive but even though it was a hand to mouth existence, Lena shared memories of a close knit community where people needed and relied upon each other. Seeing no future for their children, Gerhard with the help of his relatives in Canada decided to immigrate to Winnipeg in 1955. Gerhard and Lena’s strong faith in God helped them through many difficult situations and they felt especially blessed to be able to come to Canada where they and their children could make an honest living, worship in freedom and raise a family in peace and security. She leaves to mourn her children Helga Rempel (Gerhard), Anneliese Neudorf (Peter), Helene Foth (Walter), Margarete Hassenrueck (Ted), Gerhard Dyck (Trudy), Erich Dyck (Mary) Peter Dyck (Lucy), Dorothea Lavineway (Jack), Neil Dyck (Donna) and their families and 2 sisters in Germany. She was predeceased by her parents, husbands, 4 siblings, 1 daughter, 1 granddaughter, and 2 great grandchildren. The funeral service will be held Saturday, January 2, 2010 at Sargent Avenue Mennonite Church, 926 Garfield, Winnipeg with interment at Springstein Cemetery.