Obituary of Valerie Kroeker

Our beloved daughter and sister, Valerie (“Val”) Joy Kroeker slipped away peacefully into the presence of Jesus on Wednesday evening, June 30, 2021.

Val was born in Winnipeg, MB on March 24, 1962, and welcomed into a loving, caring family where Jesus also lived and was honoured above all others. At the age of four, Val’s family moved to Aylmer, Ontario, where her growing up childhood years were filled with many happy memories. Val was fourteen when she intentionally placed her faith in the saving work of Jesus, making Him her own personal Savior. When Val was fifteen, her family moved to Caronport (Moose Jaw), Saskatchewan, where she lived until December 2016. Those years were spent with much challenge and hardship, due to her health limitations. This resulted in considerable physical, mental and emotional deterioration for Val.

On December 9, 2016 Val was welcomed by Lenberg Manor (Christian Horizons) in Waldheim, SK, as a resident in their care home for women. From then until her death Val was surrounded by a team of loving and caring staff who consistently, genuinely, and generously displayed the love of Jesus toward Val. In this beautiful environment Val thrived, laughed and loved, and truly bore out the quality and shine of her middle name “Joy”! During these years, Val’s cardio health deteriorated significantly, requiring extra care which was provided so lovingly by the staff at Lenberg. Val enjoyed numerous visits by her family, and many happy phone conversations, filled with teasing, laughing and the sharing of mutual family love and care. Val loved and missed her family, and expressed it freely. Opening words on phone calls were often “Oh I miss my family!”, and closing words were usually “I love you, and I’ll be waiting to hear from you!”. Val also openly expressed her love and appreciation for her care-givers at Lenberg. Val consistently voiced her faith in Jesus, and often quoted John 3:16, her favourite Bible verse.

She will be lovingly remembered by her mother Anna, her brother Dennis (Hannah), her brother Ray (Heather), her sister Brenda (Pete) Thiessen, her brother Dwight, many nieces and nephews, many grand-nieces and
grand-nephews, other family members, special friends, fellow residents at Christian Horizons, and very special care-givers at Lenberg Manor along with other caring staff at Christian Horizons.

Having gone before her, and now enjoying one another again, is her father Jacob Arthur.

The private family memorial will be held on Thursday, August 5, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach, MB., followed by the interment at Heritage Cemetery.