“Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord!” Rev. 14:13.We celebrate the life of our mother, Maria Hesse. It has pleased our heavenly father to take our mom, so that where He is…she can also be! Right now, He may be showing her through the pearly gates, into the city where the streets are paved with gold. Introducing her once more to the parents she longed to see! Our mother was born to Bernhard and Maria (Nee Penner) Bergen on May 31st 1912, in Southern Russia, Ukraine, Molotschna. In 1918, at the tender age of five, her mother died, leaving her father to raise three small children. For the next seven years, our mother and her two brothers Henry and Jacob were raised by the Bergen and Penner grandparents. In 1923, at the age of 11 years, our mother acknowledged that she was a sinner in need of a Saviour. She was led to the Lord by her Sunday school teacher whom she greatly admired. In 1925 her father remarried and three more children were added to that union. In 1936 our mother married our father William Hesse and several children were born to them. Life for our mother has not always been easy. In 1944, W.W. II separated our parents, forcing her to raise her family on her own. As a widow, mother faced loneliness and many difficulties, but she remained strong. With Gods help she could do anything, He never let her down! Her memory will be cherished by her three daughters; Lucy Braun, Nina(Steve) Brandt and Agnes(John) Doerksen; 11 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; one half-sister Agnes(Carl) Sonnichson and family and one half-brother John Bergen. Our mom was predeceased by her parents; three children who died in infancy - son Arthur, a stillborn son, and a little girl, named Edith, who died in Germany at the age of four months; son-in-law Menno who went to be with His Lord suddenly in August of 1994; three brothers, Henry, Harry and Bernhard Bergen; and her stepmother, Aganetha Bergen. Her husband William and brother Jacob have been missing since the war and are presumed to be deceased. Our mom was blessed with good health for most of her life. In 1988, our mom was diagnosed as having congestive heart failure, which was controlled with medication. In the summer of 2000, at the age of 88 years, our mom was very forgetful. It was discovered that she was in a moderate stage of Alzheimer’s. On Feb. 7 2001 she was admitted to Bethesda Hospital in Steinbach. God saw her struggle and chose to take her peacefully unto Himself on March 7th, 2001 at around 6:15 P.M. with many of her family by her bedside. Our mother reached the age of 88 years, 11 months and 24 days Funeral service was held Saturday March 10,2001 at the Blumenort Evangelical Mennonite Church with burial at the Blumenort Cemetery. Viewing was held Friday March 9 at Birchwood Funeral Chapel and prior to the service. Donations in Maria’s memory may be made to MCC. We would like to thank the friends at Oakwood Place, who gave her so much joy by befriending her; the Home Care staff for their care; and in particular, the H.C. nurse at Oakwood Place who offered us her expertise in so many ways! Also a special thank you to Dr. Myron Thiessen for the gentle care our mother received during her last couple of days in the hospital. We mourn; yet rejoice in the knowledge that we shall one day be reunited in Glory! In body she no longer is with us, but in our hearts, she will always be a part of us. In a way, she is not really gone away, she is just gone ahead! The family