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Obituary of Robert R. Loewen
Surrounded by the love of his family, Bob (born on February 23, 1932) ascended into Heaven on Saturday, May 23, 2020. Mary his wife, and James his son were at his bedside at the Rest Haven Nursing home where he had been living for the last 2 years. Lois his daughter and Gerald his son were with the family via video technology. His grandchildren, Olivia and Iz, were also able to say good-bye via video, shortly before he passed away.
Bob is survived by Mary, the love of his life and wife of nearly 67 years, son Gerald (Minneapolis), daughter Lois and her partner Andrea (Halifax) and son James (Winnipeg) and by his two beloved grandchildren, Olivia and Isabelle (Winnipeg); also by 3 brothers: Ray and Anne (BC), Lavern and Marnie (BC), and Waldy and Gloria (Ontario); one sister, Rachel and Johnny (Oregon); one sister-in-law Margaret; 2 brothers-in-law, Len and Harold, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Welcoming him into heaven are his siblings who now have one more voice to join in 4-part singing of the family team/theme song ("All Things Are Ready, Come to the Feast") Levi (Elsie), David (Elvina) Henry (Edith), Evelyn (George), Mathilda (Jake, Erwin), Leslie and Glenn. He was also predeceased by his father Abraham/ "A.T.," his mother Helena Ratlaff and his second mother Elizabeth Loewen.
Soon after becoming a Christian, Bob was baptized into the Steinbach Evangelical Free Church in 1946. Bob loved the Lord, and a strong faith was a powerful influence in his life, and whether it was at conferences of fellow funeral directors (where he once traded a raffle prize of a bottle of alcohol for an overnight bag) or the job interview for his final work placement with the Manitoba provincial government, he was always eager to let the light of Jesus shine. Included in the verses on the inside cover of his personal Bible are "Even when we are too weak to have any faith left, He remains faithful to us and will help us" (2 Timothy 2:13a) and "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." (Galatians 5:6b). Bob's desire to serve Jesus was also displayed within his church family. In addition to showing a sincere interest in all he met in church, he and Mary organized Bridge Builders, a visitation program designed specifically for the elderly in the church family. On a more informal basis, Bob and Mary have long shown a commitment to "visit widows in their distress." (James 1:27)
He attended Mennonite Collegiate Institute in Gretna, Manitoba, graduating in 1950. On June 10, 1949, Bob and Mary had their first date. They were married on July 9, 1953 by her father, Rev. Wilhelm Schroeder in the Steinbach Mennonite Brethren Church, which he had already joined. That marked the beginning of his rich family life. Bob loved going for rides, and the family went on many road trips with the tent trailer, in Canada and the USA, during which many scenic treasures were discovered. In his later years there were many trips to Sandilands where wiener roasts and picnics with family and friends were always a treat.
Bob loved to laugh and had a sophisticated sense of humour. He especially enjoyed the comedian/musician Victor Borge, and Borge’s ‘Inflationary Language’ was in frequent use in the household. [For example, “Darling, you look wonderful tonight” becomes: “Darling, you look twoderful threenight, you have three of the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.”] Already at the time of regular attendance at travelogues (Playhouse Theatre), he had enthusiasm for international travel. Despite the struggle he had in leaving the funeral business in his staff's hands, Bob and Mary made their first trip off the continent when they went to Ecuador to pick up Mary's sister Sally and then travel to Peru, in order to experience Machu Picchu first hand. He also gave the family the gift of a week in Mexico to celebrate his 80th birthday, capped off with Bob and Mary holding hands while parasailing over the Mayan Riviera.
Bob and Mary were overjoyed when Olivia and Iz made them grandparents. For years, they came to Winnipeg every Wednesday to look after the grandkids, a truly priceless gift.
He was fiercely proud of their accomplishments in the swimming pool and on stage. Even as dementia ravaged his mind, Bob felt exceeding joy bragging to the Rest Haven staff about the exploits of his grandchildren.
“Grandpa” loved to play table tennis and shuffleboard with Iz and Olivia. He once even made a small ice rink in his back yard for the sole purpose of teaching his grandkids how to skate.
Bob never had a bigger or brighter smile than when he could spend time with his precious and dearly-loved Iz and Olivia.
He began working in the family firm, Loewen Funeral Home, at the age of 14, "under the watchful eyes of my father," A.T. Loewen, who was a pioneer of the funeral profession in south-eastern Manitoba. In the early years he also was the ambulance driver, and he was very proud of a 35-minute trip he made from Steinbach to Winnipeg.
He devoted more than 25 years to his work as a funeral director, inheriting a strong combination of Christian service and compassion from his father, and maintaining its solid reputation, which included a commitment to "serving all faiths" such as the French Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox communities surrounding Steinbach. As evidence of his respect for this history of the profession, he acquired an antique horse-drawn hearse which he shared with the community in the annual parade and which was also displayed on the funeral home yard.
Bob's strong sense of community service (also inherited from his father, who was one of the original founders of the Steinbach Credit Union) guided the next phases of his professional life. In 1974 he became the administrator of the Steinbach Branch of what is now enVision/Canadian Association for Community Living. His office was in one corner of the sheltered workshop where he was beloved by the developmentally delayed employees and other staff.
This served as a transition to his final professional occupation as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor for the Eastman Region of the Manitoba Department of Health and Social Development. Thanks to the combination of his business experience and his compassion, he got this government job without a single bit of post-secondary academic education.
In doing some planning in the days immediately following Bob’s death, the family learned more about one legacy of his compassion: One of the individuals Bob placed in his work as a voc rehab counsellor, 34 years ago, continues to work and to be appreciated in her job at MJ’s Restaurant, one of Dad’s local favourites.
His retirement dinner in 1997 was an important life event, but was hardly the end of his working life. He continued working as a handyman for church family and others in the community. He was proud of his woodworking skills, and he designed and built windmill-themed window shutters for many people and an elaborate backyard playhouse for his granddaughters.
Bob loved playing and watching sports. Growing up in the Loewen house (now a Heritage building), Bob enjoyed playing table tennis and baseball; he also watched the St Louis Cardinals there, and that progressed to watching the Winnipeg Jets and Blue Bombers.
He especially loved hockey. He played in high school, and later as a Dad, coached and managed minor hockey teams for many years, including getting James' team into big tournaments in Salt Lake City and Calgary. While Bob enjoyed playing and watching curling, he had a passion for golf and was very proud of his hole-in-one at Detroit Lakes. He spent many hours at Rest Haven watching golf.
When the Loewen siblings, in heaven and on earth, aren't singing, they are probably playing crokinole. This was his most cherished sport, and in playing from his earliest years until very near the end when he enjoyed playing it with his family, he showed that it was practically in his DNA.
Music was also an important part of his life. Deprived of piano lessons due to economic necessity, he proceeded to teach himself how to play piano after only a single lesson. He especially loved playing hymns, and until recently one of his most beloved possessions was an increasingly tattered hymn book from which he regularly played, long after there was no longer a piano in his home, and he played in the more public spaces of Fernwood and Rest Haven, often bringing joy to those who happened by.
He also derived much meaning and satisfaction from singing. For many years he was a very proud member of the Eastman Male Choir, where one of his proudest moments was when the choir sang his rewriting of the words to "Were You There" to reflect the spiritual importance of Christmas. He always loved singing hymns around the family piano, and this love was evident even when pandemic restrictions disallowed family visits; as recently as 2-3 weeks ago, he sang along to the family theme song with Lois, while sitting at the telephone at the nurses' station.
After writing and reading hundreds of obituaries that close with expressions of gratitude to nursing home staff, the family have an entirely new experience of how meaningful and heartfelt those words can be. The separation of Bob and Mary after 65 years was painful, and the sincere acts of kindness, sensitivity and dignity towards Bob and the compassion and support shown to Mary and family, sometimes in even the smallest of ways, have the family feeling incredibly indebted.
One of the ways he was so blessed by his time at Rest Haven was the very kind way in which chaplain Peter Berg invited Bob to pray and to play piano, as a way of boosting Bob’s dignity. Rest Haven staff truly were extended family members for the last two years. For that reason, the family would be delighted for charitable contributions be made via mail to HavenGroup Foundation, 185 Woodhaven Ave., Steinbach MB R5G 1K7, and online at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/rest-haven-foundation-inc/
The family also wants to thank Birchwood Funeral Chapel, to whom the family has entrusted the arrangements, and to Todd Harder. The family is grateful that Harry Froese of Friends Funeral Service in Winnipeg and a long-time family friend, is also participating. With Todd and Harry directing the services, the family is comforted that these present-day funeral directors are following the traditions that were so important to Bob and his father A.T. Long after he retired from the funeral business, Bob was sometimes requested by families in the community to conduct a funeral. Todd, knowing of Bob's related experience, invited him to make the arrangements and direct the funeral. It has been humbling and gratifying to learn that Bob served as an inspiration for Todd to be more committed to "service first."
Viewing
A public online viewing service will be held on Friday, May 29, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with a devotional beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Burial
Burial is private. There will be an online burial service on Saturday, May 30, at 11:00.
Memorial service
As soon as the coronavirus pandemic situation permits and we can gather together, a memorial service will be held.
