Life Story of Katharine (Teen) Bergen Our Mom, Katherine Bergen, was born on September 6, 1903, to William and Helena Dueck in Schoenthal, Manitoba (near Altona). More than 103 years later, early Saturday morning, April 14, 2007 at Bethesda Place in Steinbach, Manitoba, with family members by her side, she left us for her eternal home in glory. As a young child, Mother told us, she was a very sickly girl, missing a lot of school and things did not look good for her. Thankfully she outgrew those maladies to live a long, sometimes difficult, but rewarding life. She was baptized upon her confession of faith and became a member of the Bergthaler Church in Altona. She married Dad, John D. Bergen, on June 20, 1922. They began their married life together farming in the Altona area near Buffalo Creek. In 1939, seeking greener pastures, they bought a mixed farm in the Bristol School District near Steinbach where they farmed until 1955. Their children, having grown up by then, encouraged their move to Hanover Street in Steinbach, Dad having secured employment with the Highways Department. Several years later they moved to Barkman Avenue where they remained until 1982 when they moved into the then new Fernwood Place, a Seniors’ residence. Dad, having retired in 1968, ushered in a period of greater relaxation and leisure as they enjoyed each other’s company. However, after only a one month’s stay at Fernwood, Dad was hospitalized and shortly thereafter passed away. Mom remained a widow until her passing away 25 years later, residing at Fernwood until July of last year when failing health took her, first to the Menno Nursing Home in Grunthal and then Bethesda Place in Steinbach. Mom had a hard life. Being a housewife in the modest farming operations they had, both in Schoenthal and Bristol, meant that not only was she doing the raising of five children but very often she’d be doing man’s work of haying, stooking, planting a large vegetable garden and performing many other facets of running the farm. To help ease the monotony of milking, she would sing with her daughters and tell life stories all the while inculcating values of great worth. At times, poverty would make for particularly tough times. Even as life became easier in her more senior years, her work ethic remained strong as, for example, at Fernwood she, until her energy started fading, was among the more active, being floor captain and more. Mother was a great cook and host. Relatives tell of the great times they had when they visited on the farm. This was truly a holiday! Especially for the city folk, running around the big open spaces and playing with the farm animals was a great treat! Home-made smoked ham, mousse, and home-made buns were only some of her specialties at meal-time! In later years, too, as grandkids entered the picture, a visit to grandma’s was always a pleasure. She was a person of eternal optimism and did it show! Harsh words were unheard of; she always practiced “peace”, a tenet of her Mennonite faith. Her family, too, enjoyed her baking! Mom was concerned about both the physical and spiritual welfare of her extended family. She, for example, would pray for and send her guardian angel whenever anyone went on a trip. She prayed unceasingly that all members of her family might know the Lord. Some ten years ago or so, after surgery and some medical treatments, she became a bit more private, stayed in her room more, but all the while continued to do pretty well everything on her own till she was 100 years of age. Gradually she started accepting home care as her eyesight became more and more of a challenge. The removal of her cataracts helped but advancing macular degeneration finally resulted in the need for much more home care. With an opening in the Grunthal Menno Home available, she moved there and three months later was transferred to Bethesda Place. Six months later, her energy gone, she left us, peacefully, God granting her her final wish. She leaves to mourn, but also to rejoice in her passing, five children; Verna and Abe Hiebert and their children, Murray and Linda, Robert and Heather, Karen and Norman, Merlin and Kelly and their families; Helen and her children, Marie and Leonard, Kathleen and Mike, Wes and Lucille, Ken and Carol, Rhonda and Dale, Brad and Polly, Shannon and their families; John and Evelyn and their children, Eleanor and Robert, Russell and Karen and their families; Lorraine and Elbert and their children, Pearl and Kenneth, Carmel and Ken, Sherry and Doug, Ryan and Rose and their families; Marlene and Walter and their children, Kim and Vincent, Heather, Layton and Tammy and their families. There are 20 grandchildren, 44 great grandchildren and 11 great, great grandchildren. Mom was predeceased by her loving husband, John in 1982; son-in-law, Ronald; grandson, Roger; grandson-in-law, Murray. The family is grateful to God for the many years we have shared with our mother. While we grieve the loss of her immediate presence, we are confident in the hope of someday being reunited in Glory. The family. The funeral service will be held at the Christian Fellowship Church, 417 Hanover, Steinbach on Thursday, April 19, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. with interment to follow at Memorial Cemetery. If friends so desire donations may be made to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, P.O. Box 767, Winnipeg, MB R3C 2L4 or to the Mennonite Central Committee, 134 Plaza Drive; Winnipeg, MB R3T 5K9