Susan Giesbrecht

Susan Giesbrecht (nee Schroeder) was born to Jacob S. and Helena Schroeder (nee Heinrichs) on the family farm a mile and a half south of Lowe Farm, Manitoba on July 28, 1928. She was the youngest of a family of 8, 2 brothers and 6 sisters. Life on the farm was busy and it took awhile for her dad to get to Morris to register her birthday as July 28, however as you might know she always celebrated her birthday on August 28. Mom always enjoyed a party so having 2 birthdates was no hardship! 

Mom had a happy childhood on the farm and often spoke of how she had always felt loved throughout her life. Despite growing up during the Great Depression and World War 2, she never spoke of hardship or want. There was always enough and like most people of that age, developed a strong work ethic and learned to be resourceful with little, something she worked hard to instill in her own family. 

Mom accepted Christ as her saviour in her youth and spent her life living out her faith. She had a strong desire to serve the people around her. In an age when women were expected to work in supporting roles, mom excelled as a support to dad, her family and community around her. 

After finishing high school in Lowe Farm, mom headed off to Normal School where she met our dad. It was love at first sight and after completing the school year, they married in November of 1949, enjoying a marriage of more than 73 years together (when you know, you know : )

After teaching stints in Gnadenfeld and Kronsthal during which they welcomed Sharon and Angela into their family, they put their desire to work as missionaries into action and accepted a call by the Western Gospel Mission to become “tentmaker” missionaries at Balsam Bay on the shores of Lake Winnipeg. They spent 7 years there with dad teaching in the one room school and working together in the church, and DVBS programs for the community kids in the summertime. It was here that they welcomed Jim, Steve, and Harv which completed the family. Mom spent her time supporting dad’s work, caring for the growing family household while he completed his university degrees in the summer breaks, and making lifelong connections and friendships with the community. 

Although working as missionaries within a community was important, Mom’s greatest mission field was her family and her desire was to see her family accept Christ and walk with the Lord in their daily lives. Family devotions, Sunday School lessons, and prayer were important parts of our upbringing and her greatest desire was fulfilled. 

Leaving Balsam Bay, mom and dad spent four years teaching in Sommerfeld before settling down in Altona which became their home. After a few years of substitute teaching, mom accepted a full time position at the Rosenfeld School and spent more than a decade there. She often spoke fondly of the staff and students that passed through the doors of her classroom and kept in touch with many of them long after she retired, even bumping into many in her time at The Gardens. 

During this time she found time to be involved in the EMMC Church in Altona as part of the Ladies Auxiliary, teaching DVBS, and especially working in the church library. She organized a cataloging system and ensured that the congregation always had solid, scripture based reading and multimedia material available to support their spiritual growth. 

In 1972 three ladies and mom got together to do some brainstorming in Altona and came up with the idea for a temporary thrift shop as a fundraiser to support the work of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). They opened a little shop in donated space in Altona and never looked back. Their early success at turning donated used items into cash through sales in Altona, encouraged more than 85 other communities across North America to try as well. In the more than 50 years that have passed, these shops have generated more than 250 million dollars to support the work of MCC around the world. 

Mom’s entrepreneurial spirit also instilled a strong work ethic in her family. From picking berries, weeding beets,and delivering newspapers, to selling Regal catalog orders door to door, there was always something you could do to earn what you needed. The concept of unemployment never really existed in our household. 

It was also during this time that mom took on the role of supporting her mother. Seeing her mother living alone after grandpa Schroeder passed away, mom and dad offered grandma a place in their home. In the 25 years that this relationship lasted the roles changed from grandma helping out around the home to mom becoming her primary caregiver until she was unable to handle living at home any longer and needed care home support. 

This experience introduced mom to the challenges facing many seniors in the community as they aged and she became an active member of the Altona Care Board, learning and offering input to supporting improved care for community members of all ages. She didn’t enjoy the 7:30 am meetings but enjoyed the work and her fellow board members. She did let them know that “If people were meant to pop out of bed, we’d all sleep in toasters”. Of all of her accomplishments in this regard the one she would go back to most often was when Gardens on 10th was being planned, the suggestion was made to have common laundry facilities on each floor as some other developments they had visited were equipped. That was a nonstarter for her and she made her opinion known. In the end each suite was designed as a home with a complete laundry, a convenience she enjoyed herself after moving into a suite two years ago. To the rest of the residents there, you are welcome! 

After mom and dad retired from teaching, dad took on the role of Missions Director for the EMMC Conference, Mom often travelled with dad and offered quiet support to the many women missionaries working in the field. Her ability to offer a female perspective to the work and a listening ear helped to inform many of the decisions that were being made, often at a distance. This was greatly appreciated by many of the field workers who became not just co-workers but friends as well. 

Work, visiting family and friends and just satisfying the urge to see and learn something new offered the opportunity to travel. Mom was always by dad’s side on the road. They saw all of N. America, often by car, from Alaska to California and Florida and all across Canada. Europe, Russia, and Kazakhstan was another memorable trip as well as many visits to Belize, Mexico, Bolivia, Paraguay and many other parts of S. America. Whether it was making Klik sandwiches on white bread in the car with the family, to travelling first class on a cruise ship, mom was always up for the adventure! 

In the end, mom’s greatest mission field was the people coming in her door. There was always a meal ready for anyone coming across her path and she enjoyed the company and conversation and the opportunity to share her faith. Her 100+ year old dining room table hosted hundreds of people over the years. The hospitality shared there with friends, family, and complete strangers exemplified Hebrews 13:2, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares". She surely has met some of those angels by now! 

After dad’s passing in 2023, Mom moved to Gardens on 10th where she enjoyed the fruits of the work she had put into the community. She enjoyed reasonably good health but declined with age. She was active in her home and entertained company right up until she went to bed the night before she was admitted to BTHC. There are still a couple of ice cream treats in her freezer just in case anyone drops by. 

She was only hospitalized for about a day and a half so things went quickly. Mom passed away Friday, March 7 at about 9:15pm at Boundary Trails Health Centre with family at her side. 

She was predeceased by her husband Lawrence, one grandson, her parents and all of her siblings and their spouses. She is survived by her daughters Sharon (Richard) Funk, Angela (Jim) Harms, sons Jim (Valerie) Giesbrecht, Steve (Diane) Giesbrecht, and Harv (Jeannette) Giesbrecht. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.

As a family we would like to thank the many visitors who came to see her after Dad’s passing and her move to the Gardens on10th. Thanks also to home care staff, EMT’s, hospital staff both at the Altona Health Centre and Boundary Trails Health Centre for the care and assistance they offered our mom. Thanks also to Trevor and the staff at Wiebe’s Funeral Home, Altona.

A celebration of Susan's life was held on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Altona EMM Church. Interment took place prior to the service at 1:00 p.m. at the Altona Cemetery. 

Donations in memory of Susan may be made to assist the ongoing development of the La Fortaleza School complex in Santa Cruz, Bolivia” Cheques to be made payable to EMMC with “La Fortaleza School” in the memo section. EMMC, 757 St. Anne’s Road, Winnipeg Manitoba R2N 4G6, donations may also be made to MCC Manitoba for the work of MCC Thrift.

To view the memorial service click on the video link below.