Daniel Loewen was born on December 14, 1917 in Pretoria, Orenburg Colony, just one month after the November Revolution . Daniel was nine years old when the family left Pretoria for Canada. Upon arriving in Alberta, Daniel joined his younger siblings, Henry, Tina, and Anna at Eagle School, while the older siblings found work.

     Upon completing several years of schooling, Daniel spent several years working on the family farm. Eventually, he enrolled in three years of Bible School, in Rosemary, where he was joined by sisters Tina and Anna. During these years, he served as Sunday School teacher, both at his church and in Daily Vacation Bible School.

     When the war arrived  in 1939, Daniel was called to duty, and opted instead for Alternative Service. He spent three months in Jasper, Alberta, on road construction. Following that, he was sent to Green Timbers, B.C., on Vancouver Island, where he cut snags, fought forest fires, and planted trees. It was during this time that he met his life partner, Margaret Enns, at a wedding in Abbotsford. On March 12, 1944, they were married at the West Abbotsford Mennonite Church, and returned to Alberta, finding work in Acme and at the Colpitts farm in Simons Valley.

     In 1946, they bought a farm near Didsbury, which they farmed for several years. Due to economic challenges at the time, Daniel gave up farming for construction, in Calgary. This career took him to many interesting jobs, including work on the airport and the hospital, but the job that he enjoyed most describing, was construction of the Calgary Tower. He described, for those he shared the story with, how he worked on the roof of the restaurant (at the top), and enjoyed his lunches with his feet hanging over the edge. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest structure of its type in North America, at 191 metres.

     Daniel and Margaret were charter members of the Foothills Mennonite Church and became involved in many of its ministries. Margaret enjoyed teaching nursery Sunday School for many years. Once their children were all in school, Margaret worked casually, cleaning houses, and later worked in a hospital laundry department. In her busy schedule, she also found time to work as head cook at a children’s camp.

     During their years in Calgary, Daniel and Margaret acquired a homestead in La Crete, Alberta, which they gradually cleared of brush and on which they began growing crops. This meant that in spring and fall, he would often go north for a month to work the land, leaving his family in Calgary. Margaret supported Daniel’s desire to farm, even though it was hard on her. Eventually, he had to spend a year living on the land to gain title, so in 1973, he built a small house, where he, Margaret, and youngest daughter, Dorothy, lived. The older children were already independent. In La Crete, Margaret was back to baking on a wood-burning stove, which she was a master at. During their time in La Crete, Daniel worked in construction as well.

     Daniel farmed for only a few years, after which he sold the property and purchased a house in Calgary, where they lived until his retirement in 1983. Their retirement years were spent in Abbotsford, British Columbia. They purchased a home where they could enjoy gardening, as well as enjoy the Fraser Valley fruit. They became members of the West Abbotsford Mennonite Church, where they had been married; they served for a time as deacons. This move also allowed them to be close to both their brothers and sisters. They eventually downsized to a condominium, where they enjoyed entertaining and social activities with local residents. In the last years, Margaret required nursing care and so while she took up residence in the Menno Home, Daniel lived in an adjoining apartment.

     Those who knew Margaret well remember her for her commitment to her children, for her hospitality, and her strong sense of fairness. She enjoyed gardening, crocheting and baking, always having a bucket of cookies on hand for when her family visited. She wanted the best for her children and often sacrificed her own needs for those of her children.

     Her home was always open for friends and family, and she enjoyed playing table games with her visitors. She also enjoyed the many hours spent doing crafts, sewing, and growing flowers in her garden. Daniel kept his keen sense of humour to the end, and he could find something good in any circumstance. The nurses who cared for him at the end were struck by his positive attitude.

     Margaret died November 30, 2006, at the age of 88. Daniel passed away two years later, on May 15, 2008, at the age of 90. Their direct descendants number 71 (2023).