In Loving Memory
Louise Erica Rempel
October 12, 1932 – February 21, 2023
Memorial Service
Tuesday, February 28, 2023, 1:00 PM Pacific Time
Bakerview Mennonite Brethren Church
2285 Clearbrook Rd, Abbotsford, BC
Live Stream Available Below
Watch a recording of the live stream
If on a mobile device, rotate for best viewing- To adjust audio volume, please use your device controls
- Please consider signing the guest book at the bottom of this page to acknowledge your presence.
Louise Erica Rempel Obituary
Louise Erica (Klassen) Rempel’s family left the colony of Gnadenfeld in Russia in 1924 and immigrated to Canada. The family first lived in Ontario and later settled in Culross, Manitoba.
Louise was born on October 12, 1932 in Winnipeg, Manitoba in Concordia Hospital to David and Agneta (Rempel) Klassen. She was the youngest of 5 children, who included Olga, who died as a young child, Ellie, Paul, Dora and herself. As a child, her family called her “Luischen” which in German means “little Louise”. As she was a late-comer to the family, she was special and welcomed with open arms as a precious gift. Louise was a pretty little girl with curls that reminded many of the then popular child-actress Shirley Temple.
Louise grew up in Culross, Manitoba and her parents were farmers. She was best friends with her cousin, Harry, who lived across the road. She attended Castleton school in Culross, and then, high school at Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute (MBCI) in Winnipeg. Louise did well in school and later took a typing course in business college which led to a job as a stenographer for the Great West Life Insurance Company of Winnipeg.
She was baptized on June 1, 1952 in the Springstein Mennonite Church. Soon after, Louise went to help her Uncle Art and Aunt Lucille in Walla Walla, Washington to care for their children.
The very first time Louise met her husband, Menno Abram Rempel of Matsqui, BC, was as a child during the summer of approximately 1938 when she was on a trip with her mother and uncle to visit relatives in BC. Years later in 1951, Louise met Menno again while she was on another trip west visiting relatives, together with her brother. Menno fell in love with her and, after a number of letters they became engaged. Those letters were very special to Louise and she kept them for the rest of her life. The couple were married on August 27, 1955, at First Mennonite Church in Winnipeg. The newlyweds drove west and moved into a rented basement suite in Vancouver, BC. Their first two children, Dori and Mark, were born while they lived there. In 1959, they purchased their family home in Richmond, BC, in which they lived for 57 years. They had three more children: Dan, Paul, and Elly.
Over the years, the family took many pleasure road trips back to Manitoba to visit Louise’s family. They also enjoyed family camping and fishing trips to such places as Manning Park’s Lightning Lakes and Tunkwa Lake. They also travelled to California and Walla Walla, Washington, to visit Uncle Art and Aunt Lucille. In later years, Menno and Louise travelled to other destinations such as Eastern Canada and the Maritime provinces, Germany, and Uzbekistan where their son Dan and family lived as missionaries. They also travelled to Israel, Jordan and Egypt and, a number of years ago, to Australia to attend their grandson Ryan’s wedding and to visit relatives living there.
Louise had a quiet but strong faith and this was evident in the way she lived. She and Menno were always very active in church life. They were first involved with a church plant in Queensborough. Then, the family attended Mountainview Mennonite Church in Vancouver, where Menno was a Deacon and Louise served with the Dorcas ministry and also taught Sunday School. They later attended Peace Mennonite Church in Richmond where they were active in a Bible Study group. After they moved to Abbotsford in 2016, they joined Bakerview Mennonite Brethren Church. They enjoyed worship and fellowship in each of the various communities they attended.
Louise loved gardening and cared for a large garden that included both vegetables and flowers. She enjoyed baking and her specialties were buns, bread, and fruit pies made from the many fruit trees in their large yard. She loved nature and she and Menno would take regular walks together along the Fraser River near their home. She kept a daily journal and also enjoyed solving crossword and word search puzzles. She enjoyed watching sports and kept a record of sports statistics for her favourite hockey team, the Vancouver Canucks. She was a welcoming hostess and welcomed a number of people for extended stays in their home over the years.
Louise loved her husband and children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Family was very important to her and she enjoyed hosting regular family dinners when everyone would visit around the table for hours.
Louise was faced with a number of health concerns in the later half of her life; she was diagnosed with breast cancer twice. Then, in later years, she started to experience seizures and it was discovered that she had an inoperable, benign brain tumour. These seizures continued intermittently through the rest of her life. In the last years and months of her life, due to heart issues, her health declined and she passed away on February 21, 2023.
Louise is preceded in death by her husband Menno, who passed away on July 16, 2019, due to stage 4 liver cancer. She is survived by her children, Dori (Ross), Mark (Cheryl), Dan (Grace) Paul (Shelley) and Elly (Ted); 18 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren; and one remaining sibling, Dora Giesbrecht.
@
You will be missed by all of us. I will sure miss our talks on the phone.
Thanks so much for the lovely service. Mom really appreciated the photos.
Brought back a lot of memories for her.
@
Dear Mark, Cheryl and Family, we are thinking of you and had planned to join you in person, but regretfully the snow changed our plan. We want to extend our condolences to all your Family Mark and know you have the comfort that only comes from God. With sincere love & care.
@
Sorry that we couldnt join you but we’re glad to have been able to be on line.. a lovely tribute to a lovely lady. Our love to all of you.
Ron and Adrienne
@
We are thankful for the life your mother lived and how her faith impacted future generations. We know the pain of loss and pray God’s healing hand to touch you. May the joy of resurrection impact you deeply and give you hope. Love you
@
This service has been a great help for me in this closure. Thank you all. I am Louise’s first cousin in California. My mother is Evangeline, Agnetha’s sister. My wife Betty joined me here this afternoon..
@
A beautiful life lived. Glory be to God. Loved by many. So blessed to call her Oma. Grateful to be able to join in this beautiful celebration of her life from afar.
love to you all,
Ryan, Alanna and Cody
@
Mark and Cheryl Ashley Bryn Kailey and families
Thinking of you all in your loss.
@
Mark and Cheryl Ashley Bryn Kailey and families
Thinking of you all in your loss.
@
Love and hugs to all of you.
Larry and Jenn Martin
@
Yes Louise certainly conveyed a very calming presence, I worked with her at the MCC thrift store on Fraser Street in Vancouver, also as sister in Mountainview Church , with the willing workers. Also spent a birthday celebration of the four women of that group celebrated a birthday dinner , hosted by Jo Kornelson , al of home being born in 1932, myself being the one to to be first, my birthday being in February. We also visited each others homes, she was a very gracious and calm hostess. May she rest in peace.
@
I first met Menno & Louise at Mountainview Church in the late fifties and was happy to renew our acquaintance at Peace Church after Mountainview closed. I looked forward to chatting quietly with Louise at the close of worship, and loved her beautiful smile. Menno & Louise were much missed after they moved to Abbotsford! May God bless and comfort the family with many happy memories.
@
My deepest condolences to you and your family during this time. Thinking of you
@
Thinking of you Mark and Cheryl Ashley Bryn Kailey and families in your loss.
@
Louise was married to my (Aron’s daughter) cousin Menno. Since I was among the younger cousins and thus looked up to my older cousins, I recall Louise as a very pretty lady with a soft smile at all times. She seemed so peaceful and somewhat shy.
What a lovely family she and Menno reared. Blessings and comfort from our ever faithful God.
@
Lyle and I pray that special moments you have will give you joy and the precious memories you have will give you comfort and the embrace of family and friends give you strength but most of all your faith in Jesus Christ gives you love and peace that goes beyond your understanding. Celebrate the life of Louise Remple.
@
Sending my condolences and prayers to all the Family.
@
Our dear Mark, Cheryl, family & extended family. I never met your mom, but, I’m counting it a big privilege to be zooming-in on your dear mom, Louise’s service. Your [late] dad, Menno, is an old-time-acquaintance of mine. Back in 1949, Menno in grade 10 or 11 & I in grade 8, we were in the Mennonite Educational Institute [MEI] together. Your mom is & will be dearly missed. May you dear family find comfort in knowing that your mom is in the hands of a loving and faithful Creator. My thots and prayers are with you at this time of parting and deep sorrow. A Penticton, B.C friend….betty [peters/stelfox] hredil
@
Thinking of you all on this celebration of your Mom’s life. She was a wonderful kind person and we had wonderful memories visiting your Mom and Dad. I specifically remember what a great support they both were to me when my Dad died. Love to you all and our thoughts are with you today on this difficult occasion.
@
A mother has loved you longer than you have known yourself. Our prayers are with you as you adjust to this immense loss.
@
My sincere condolences to Mark, Cheryl, your children and large extended family. I hope you find much comfort as you reflect on many loving family memories. My thoughts are with you and your family.
@
Thinking of you Mark, Cheryl & family.
@
Sending love and care your way, Mark and Cheryl and family.
@
I have never met Louise, but I have a strong respect for her because she was Mark’s mother. My condolances not only for Mark and Cheryl, but the whole family.
@
thinking of you losing your dear mother. As you know I didn’t meet her but I know what it is like to lose a mother so I feel for you and pray you have real comfort from God! With love, Betty Gregg