Dad was born May 4, 1909 in Strasburg, now Tourond. His mother predeceased him a month later. At the age of 7 he lost his second mother. By 9 years old, he was already working on the land with a 4-horse team. In 1933, Dad attended the first Sunday of catechism in preparation for baptism. The next day, while helping at his neighbour’s, he was involved in an accident with a circular saw. Dad was rushed to the Misericordia Hospital, where he stayed for 6 months and 10 days. In 1937, after a partial recovery, he and Susanna Doerksen were united in a marriage that would have lasted 65 years as of October 24, 2002. This resulted in a family of two daughters and five sons, followed by 27 grandchildren and 48 great-grandchildren. Mom and Dad moved to Grunthal in the spring of 1938 to run a restaurant. This evolved into a fabric store that attracted customers from all over the prairies. In 1945, he had his right foot amputated because of an ongoing infection, and started using a wooden foot. In 1952, he took over Brookside Egg Grading Station in Grunthal. In 1962, Dad and his sons established a concrete block factory in Grunthal. Mom and Dad retired in 1980. In spite of overwhelming odds, and without government assistance, Dad and Mom started their family of 7 children during the depression. At a time when many able bodied men needed welfare to survive, Dad stepped out in faith and created his own livelihood. Dad was crippled, but we children had no idea why people would ask us what it felt like to live with a handicapped person. Dad always attributed his success to two things: God and his wife. God has always been his leader; he relied heavily on Him for strength and endurance. After his accident, he prayed to God for a wife. He could not believe his good fortune when Susanna Doerksen presented herself to him as God’s choice for him. On March 21, 2002 at 8:40 p.m., Dad went to be with the Lord. He is survived by sons: David (Mary), Leonard (Nettie), Edward (Katherina), William (Eva), John (Jacqueline); daughters: Susie Ann (Abe) Derksen and Marie (Martin) Ginter; as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The funeral service for David F. Hiebert was held Thursday, March 28, 2002, at the Grunthal Chortitzer Mennonite Church. Interment at Grunthal Cemetery. Two roads in the bush, and I chose the road less traveled by; It led me to the Rock of Ages; He promised me Eternal Wages!