Catherine ‘Tina’ Loewen was born January 25, 1916, in the village of Pretoria, Orenburg, Russia. There she received her first two years of education, and in October, 1926, at age 10. she emigrated, with her parents, to Canada. She had many vivid memories of her childhood years in Russia, as well as the experiences associated with the voyage to Canada. Those memories provide a significant portion of what we know about the Loewen family life in Orenburg, Russia.

     While the older siblings were working and contributing to the family funds, Tina, along with her younger siblings, attended Eagle School, where she completed her grade 8. During this time, she also contributed financially to the family, as she acted as janitor in the school.

     As the Loewen home became the church on Sundays for the Loewen family and newly-arrived relatives from the USSR, whom Abraham and Maria Loewen had sponsored, Tina found a role playing a pump organ purchased first by brother Martin, at an auction in Calgary, but very soon purchased by her. After one formal lesson, Tina began to master the instrument. She loved to play and sing her favourite hymns, and when she did, she did so with “gusto”. The organ accompanied her to Abbotsford where it was also well-used, especially during family Christmas gatherings.

     Tina was baptized on June 16, 1935, upon confession of her faith, by Rev. David Janzen, and was received into the membership of the Bergthal Mennonite Church in Didsbury.  While living in Alberta, Tina found employment in a variety of domestic settings, riding on horseback to work at house cleaning on a local farm; working as a maid and at house cleaning, in Calgary.

     Tina continued her formal education at Bible School, completing one year of Bible School in Rosemary, Alberta, in 1938, followed by 2 ½ years at Menno Bible Institute in Didsbury, Alberta. Here she received her training as a Sunday School teacher – a skill she practiced for most of her adult years.

     Gauging by the photos left behind, one could safely assume that not only did Tina have a wide circle of friends, but also enjoyed social interaction

with them, which included light-hearted and “fun” activities. Her nephews and nieces saw mostly, if not only, the more serious side of her (at least that was my experience).

     She especially enjoyed teaching Sunday School and DVBS, first in Alberta, in her home congregation, the Bergthal Mennonite Church in Didsbury. In 1943, she spent a summer in Renata and Oliver, B.C. where she did more than teach. Photos indicate that there was also work that occupied her time in the Okanagan. She picked cherries and worked in the local cannery.

     Photos reveal that Tina also found time for some play, attending a birthday party at Rev. Thiessen’s home, and enjoying a watermelon feast accompanied by what appears to be a pit-spitting contest. Tina was also involved in an outreach in northern Montana, where she taught DVBS to Native Indian children.

     In 1948, Tina joined her parents in the move to Abbotsford. During those years on Gladwin, she cared for her aging parents, while taking on employment in a number of places, and also becoming very actively involved in her home church, West Abbotsford Mennonite.

     A significant change for her was to become the prime “chauffeur” for her parents, after purchasing her first car and learning to drive.

     After her move to BC in 1948, she became a member of West Abbotsford Mennonite Church, and quickly became involved in children’s ministry, teaching SS, DVBS, and Girls’ Clubs at church; in a SS outreach at Peardonville (1951), and at Prairie Chapel. She also took an active role in Ladies Aid Groups at church.

     Tina worked briefly as a secretary for MEI (Mennonite Educational Institute) and as a book-keeper for Lepp’s Trucking for approximately 6 years. She also spent several years as cook at Bethel Bible Institute, at Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg, at summer camps, and also at the Wiens berry farm.

     In addition to her regular day jobs, Tina played an integral role in managing the household and attending to the needs of her aging parents. Their two-acre parcel, for many years, was planted with raspberries, which she managed and which provided a supplemental income. During their years on that property, two significant celebrations occurred – her parents’ Diamond Jubilee and Abraham’s 100^th birthday. Based on the files she left, she played the major role in orchestrating the 100^th birthday party, and I can only assume she played a similar role for the wedding celebrations. Her mother passed away in 1957, survived by her father for another 20 years; years of dedicated service that Tina invested into her father’s life.

     When family from Alberta visited, their home was always the hotel of choice, which also meant additional responsibilities for her, however, they were cheerfully accepted. She loved her extended family and took a very keen interest in each of their respective lives. She counted it an honour to make dozens of carrot cakes for her niece’s weddings. Her oldest sister, Lena, often came on visits from Alberta, and her younger sister Anna lived only 30 minutes away, in Chilliwack.

     Tina was both adventurous and a good sport. Her niece, Ruth Barg Lacoursiere, relates that Tina was intent on driving her car south into South America, but was dissuaded by a travel agent. That did not stop her from pursuing a wish to travel to Brazil in 1972. She joined a tour group consisting of Mennonites from Eastern U.S.A. travelling to the 9^th Mennonite World Conference in Curitiba, Brazil; a trip that included other sightseeing opportunities, including a visit to world-renowned Machu Pichu in Peru.

     In 1975, she travelled to India. For many years, she had corresponded with missionary, Helen Kornelson, and had become very interested in her ministry. During her time there, Tina stayed with Helen, met the George Janzens, and had the opportunity to meet many of the Indian Mennonites she had heard so much about, and which for her, was a highlight of her travels. In 1983, she made one more major trip. This time, it was a cross-Canada car trip with a friend, staying at Mennonite “B & B’s”. I’m sure it included many stops in Alberta as well, where many Loewen family members and relatives lived.

     Tina loved to play games, especially at times when family met on special celebrations, like Christmas. In her senior years, she often joined sister Anna, and sister-in-law, Sara Loewen and friends in

games – Scrabble was a popular choice. Not only was she an avid game player; she was also quite competitive, to put it mildly.

     Upon her retirement, she enjoyed volunteering, both with MCC and at the Clearbrook Community Center. In fact, her travel bug had not left her, as she volunteered time for travel planning at the Garden Park Towers. She sold baked goods as a fundraiser for the Community Centre and crocheted many blankets for distribution through MCC.  Volunteers at MCC looked forward to her delicious, fresh brown bread, and her “Platz” was ‘out-of-this-world’! Tina will also be remembered for the delicious homemade noodles she made for others. Apparently, she had advised her younger sister Anna,  that she was still too young to get married because she could not yet make noodles properly. How well we all remember the advice Tina dispensed so freely to all of us, her nephews and nieces, at some point in our lives.

     In the spring of 2011, Tina suffered a stroke, and was admitted to hospital. She was never to return to her apartment at the Alliance Manor again, but was admitted to Menno Hospital, where she lived out the last 2 years of her life. She occupied a small space, shared with another patient, but never complained – at least not to us. Several pictures on her bulletin board serve as a reminder that Tina enjoyed having fun as well as having an adventuresome spirit.

     In her last months, and particularly on our last visit a few weeks prior to her death, Tina impressed us with her positive outlook, clear memory, and unquestioning faith in God’s provision for her simple, daily needs. Tina has left an indelible mark in the lives of her immediate and extended family; in the lives of the many friends she had both far and wide; and in the lives of countless children she taught over the years. She will be remembered with fondness. On January 11, 2013, Tina passed away, at the age of 96.

NOTE: Tina’s contributions to her church community were not insignificant. In fact, as a permanent memorial to her faithful life of service, she is recognized in GAMEO (Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online).