Obituary of Gertrude (Trudy) Heinrichs

Gertrude (Loewen) Heinrichs passed away peacefully, on Monday, June 17, 2024, at home in Winkler at the age of 94 years.

She is survived by her husband Jacob Heinrichs, their five children: Judith Wiebe, Reginald Heinrichs (Joanne), Rebecca de Buda (Eric), Cadence Reimer, Debora Thiessen, her sister Helen and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mom was born at home on January 7, 1930, to Peter J & Judith (Guenther) Loewen in Silberfeld, Manitoba. "Toots", as Mom was affectionately called, received Jesus as her Saviour at an early age.  Later the family moved to Gretna where Mom attended the Mennonite Collegiate Institute. In 1947, at the age of seventeen, "Toots" was baptized in the Gretna Bergthaler Church.  At school she met Jake Heinrichs, her future husband. After both graduated from high school and normal school, they got married on July 27, 1952.

For several years they taught in southern Manitoba during which time Judy was born. Dad decided to attend the Canadian Mennonite Bible School in Winnipeg. During this time Reg and Becky were born. At Dad’s side, Mom wholeheartedly supported him in all his endeavors: graduating from Bible College; two years teaching in Ilford, Northern Manitoba where Cadence was born; eighteen years in Mexico, in a teaching and preaching ministry under the Conference of Mennonites (COM) where Deb was born; ten years in Ontario under the Evangelical Mennonite Mission Church (EMMC).

Our home was filled with laughter, music, and service for others. A typical morning greeting of Mom’s was, “Rise, shine, and give God the glory.” If we forgot to wash our face, she might say, “How can you shine and give God glory if you have not washed your face.”

Though Mom was always helping and supporting Dad in his missions, she had some of her own. In the St. Thomas Elgin Manor Nursing Home she worked as a health care aid for three years and as an adjuvant for another three years. In Winnipeg, for one year Mom worked with ex-offenders through Community Ministry and for six years produced and hosted a Low German Radio Program for COM in Manitoba. After serving in Ontario, our parents moved to Bethel Place in Winnipeg where they lived for about 17 years. During this time Mom’s health deteriorated after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and they moved into a senior’s home in Altona. A month before Covid hit in 2020, Cadence was able to make room for Mom and Dad in her home. Definitely a God thing; we did not know Covid was coming. Here they have resided under excellent care until the present. Mom often expressed a longing to go home. Her favorite Bible verse was Philippians 2:21 “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Finally, she is forever home in the arms of her Creator and Saviour.

Jake and Trudy Heinrichs were supporters of The Great Commission Foundation and you are invited to donate to them in Trudy’s name if you desire in lieu of flowers.

The come & go viewing will be held on Monday, June 24, 2024, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., at Zion Mennonite Church, Schanzenfeld, MB.

The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., at Zion Mennonite Church, Schanzenfeld, MB., with viewing one hour prior to the service. To join the family via livestream, please click HERE shortly before the time of the service.

The interment will take place at Zion Mennonite Cemetery, Schanzenfeld, MB., followed by the reception at the church.