Mary Wiebe
October 11th, 2019
Mary was born to Johann and Helena Goosen, the fifth of ten children (6 boys, 4 girls). Although her childhood on in Saskatchewan was greatly impacted by the Great Depression, she carried fond memories of growing up with her close-knit family on their prairie farm. When she was 14, her family moved to Greendale, British Columbia.
After the sudden, tragic death of a young mother in her village, who was on her way to a funeral, Mary reflected on her own relationship with God. Through conversation with her mother, she came to understand what it meant to surrender her life to Jesus. Mary was later baptized as a teenager in 1946, on Sumas Prairie Road in Greendale, and became a member of the Greendale MB Church. As a young disciple of Jesus, she enjoyed singing in the choir and teaching Sunday School.
In Greendale, she helped her parents pick berries on the farm, but she always had a love for mathematics. After graduating from high school, her first job away from home was doing income tax work for the federal government in Vancouver. Later, while working for an optometrist in Chilliwack, she met the love of her life, Abram Wiebe, in the church youth choir.
On August 2, 1953, they married and remained together for 66 wonderful years. God blessed them with four boys: Norm, Al, Ray and Reg. Mary had a zest for life and enjoyed knitting, crocheting, gardening , baking and hosting family and friends. Every summer, after a long season of berry picking, Abe and Mary would take their boys to Osoyoos for a week of vacation with the Goosen relatives. Eventually, they purchased a boat and the boys took up waterskiing.
Throughout her adult life, Mary served Jesus at church and in the surrounding community. She was a Girl’s Guide in Pioneer Girls, an active member of Grace Ladies Aid and the funeral committee, and a committed volunteer at the MCC thrift stores in Chilliwack and Abbotsford. She also canvassed for Mother’s March and other charitable organizations.
Mary is survived by three siblings (Helen, Alvin and Alvina), her husband (Abram), her four sons and their wives, fourteen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. A celebration of life will be held on Monday, October 21, 2019 at 1:30 pm at Bakerview MB Church, 2285 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford. The graveside ceremony will be held at Greendale Cemetery in Chilliwack at 10:00 am on the same day.
You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence for the family.
