Dietrich (Dick) Henry Neumann was born on May 27, 1913 in Slavgorod, Asiatic Russia. The first 13 years of his life were lived amid revolution, civil war, epidemic, and starvation, and all the challenges that entailed for his parents. At the age of 13, his family emigrated to Canada.

     During that first winter in Saskatchewan, Dick helped his father and brothers with cutting wood, but when the family moved to Gerald the following year, he would have joined his other siblings in attending school. Since his oldest brother Henry was working for hire from the time they arrived in Canada, and Jake as well somewhat later, Dick’s father would have depended on him to be one of the main hands on the family farm, along with David. In fact, in addition to the family farm duties, it was necessary for he and his father to go custom-stooking for a farmer nearby. When the family moved to Gem in 1932, Dick and David were left with the responsibility of accompanying the livestock on the train.

     Dick was an ardent hunter and made good use of the .22 calibre rifle purchased by his father. During the winters, both in Bredenbury and in Gem, he and his brothers engaged in trapping and shooting small animals for their pelts, thus earning extra income.

     In the fall of 1935, Dick joined his siblings who travelled to BC for brother Henry’s wedding. He stayed in Yarrow, working on the mountain, cutting firewood. Within a year, Dick returned to Alberta, but not before turning his life over to Christ at an evangelism meeting in Yarrow. He was baptized in 1937, in Gem, Alberta.

     Dick and Helen met in Calgary in 1937, when he came to visit his sisters Sally and Kay, who were working as maids, as was Helen. When Sally Neumann was to be married, Helen stayed with the Neumanns in Gem, helping with the wedding baking. It was at this time that she got to know Dick even better. After Sally was married, Helen would often be invited to Martin & Sally Loewen’s place whenever Dick came to visit. They were married two years later, April 9, 1939, in Blumenort, Saskatchewan.

     Dick found work with an employer who was building a chicken barn, near Calgary, which he did not enjoy for a number of reasons – his employer built only with cheap materials, and Dick was also expected to peddle eggs, door-to-door in the city. One experience with a customer caused him to refuse further selling of eggs, and instead, Dick would only work as a builder. Dick was described as a hard worker, which came honestly under the apprenticeship of his father.

     They soon had their own home – a rustic log cabin outside of Calgary, at a place called Midnapore. The cabin had one room and a ‘lean-to’ for a kitchen. Two children were born to them in Alberta – Ernie and Laurena. Feeling lonely and unhappy with the work, with gentle encouragement from Helen, Dick agreed to move to BC in 1941, joining his brothers as well as Helen’s brother.

      Upon arrival in Vancouver, Dick found work shingling houses, and in another job, carrying heavy sacks of coal. His leg was bothering him, which concerned Helen. It was not much later that he received a diagnosis of cancer and in 1942, had his leg amputated. Church, family, and friends rallied around them to assist with financial costs. The healing took many months and imposed a financial burden on Dick and his family. Brother David writes in his memoirs, “With his will to live, he regained his joy in life, sense of humour, even making fun of his hardship”. Fitted with an artificial leg provided by the church, Dick secured a job as signalman in a shipyard, where he worked for some time. Helen found work at Woodwards. Two sons were added to the family in Vancouver, Ronald and John.

     Dick and Helen were soon able to buy a house and another car, which gave them mobility again, allowing them to travel to Yarrow and Greendale to visit family. In 1947, Dick followed his desire to be a chicken farmer. He purchased a two-acre farm in Rosedale, near Helen’s brother Pete. They had dreams of building a barn and a new house. Dick loved his new-found occupation, but that excitement was short-lived as he became increasingly pre-occupied with his deteriorating health. He hired a neighbour boy to assist with the chores.

     Dick’s cancer spread to his lungs. Helen provided care at home and sold eggs to provide for their needs. On March 3, 1949, Dick passed away, and Helen was left with four young children to raise. She sold the farm and purchased a small house on two acres, in Yarrow, near her parents. Helen was able to keep a cow, a pig, and a few chickens. A large garden provided fresh produce for her growing family. Church and school were within walking distance, and family income was generated through milk sales and seasonal labour such as picking berries and hops, and working night-shift at the cannery.

     In 1962, she and son, John, moved to Vancouver where she worked in Hotel Georgia kitchen for awhile, and then as a drapery seamstress at Woodwards until her retirement.

     Helen faced life’s challenges with strong resolve and determination, not shrinking from challenges, illustrated by the fact that she decided to learn to drive car at age 59, purchasing a new car, even before learning to drive. Helen’s faith in God was a strong one that carried her throughout life, and never needed more than when her daughter, Laurena, was tragically killed in a car accident in 1974, leaving a young family behind.

     Helen had a busy social life, enjoying the friendships of people she worked with as well as her church community friends at Trinity Baptist – the Ladies’ Sewing Circle and Bible study groups. Helen was also able to enjoy some travel – Hawaii, Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand. Her last years were spent at the Menno Home in Abbotsford, which she enjoyed.

     She is remembered by her family, as a strong moral compass and role model during their formative years. She was a compassionate woman, known for her trust and for her grace. Helen lived another 50 years as a widow, and on October 21, 1999, Helen passed away at the age of 89.

     Dick and Helen’s direct descendants number 38 (2023).