Kathrina (Katie) Rast passed away peacefully on April 29, 2023 at the age of 92 years. She is survived by her 5 children, Wilfred (Kimberly), Marlin, Cecil, Valerie Griffith(Gary) and Randy (Carrie-Ann), 10 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, 3 siblings, Henry Esau (Linda), Jacob Esau (Helen) and Walter Esau(Lenora) and sister in-law Helen Anderson (Cliff).
Katie was born April 10, 1931 in Lethbridge Alberta to John and Katherina Esau. She was the only daughter of eight surviving children. She spent the first few years of her life on a farm outside Lethbridge in Readymade, Alberta. The family moved to Yarrow BC and eventually ended up buying a dairy farm in East Chilliwack BC.
Along with her brothers, Katie went to school at MEI, where she received a solid Christian education and enjoyed participating in sports, including her favorite sport, basketball. She continued to live on the family farm until adulthood. In the mid 1950s, Katie went to Normal school at UBC to become a teacher. After completing schooling, Katie along with some friends, decided to serve as a missionary to 1st nation communities in Northern BC, in addition to teaching school in the area.
This is where she met her husband, Otto, her life-long love and they were married in August of 1957. It is also where her 3 oldest sons, Wilf (1958), Marlin (1959) and Cecil (1961) were born. In 1964, the family moved to Greenwood BC, where they were very involved in civic as well as church activities. Two more children, Valerie (1964) and Randy (1967) were born during this period of time. Raising 5 children, Katie reduced her teaching responsibilities after the move to substituting occasionally.
In 1970, Katie and Otto moved to Cranbrook, B.C., much of the motivation was their desire to find a church to raise the children in. A year later, the family moved onto a small hobby farm on the outskirts of Cranbrook, as a way to help teach their kids the skills, values and life experiences that both Katie and Otto had cherished from their own childhoods. Katie, along with Otto became committed and very active members of the Cranbrook Alliance Church as well as the community at large. Together, they served and were heavily involved in music at the church, including in various duets, trios, quartets and choirs over the years.
After retiring from teaching in 1995, they followed several of their kids and grandkids to the Fraser Valley, landing in Greendale, close to Chilliwack, on a small farm. Many times after retirement the kids and grandkids would visit the farm to see Katie driving the tractor while Otto loaded the hay by hand onto the hay wagon. They wanted to be independent even as they grew older.
After a few years on the farm in Greendale, Katie and Otto surprised their children by starting to wind down their farm life and bought a condo in Abbotsford. Even after the purchase the kids didn’t believe they would ever move in, but they did! And they enjoyed it! Katie and Otto spent many hours looking out at the mountains and trees. They loved the view!
After Otto passed away in 2006, one of the things Katie missed most was watching the sunset with Otto, the Love of her Life. She said it was the little things that happened all day long that she missed the most without him.
Life was not the same after Otto passed away and gradually health issues caused Katie to 1st move to Hallmark in Abbotsford and eventually during Covid, to TRIM in Mission where she spent her final years.
On April 29 2023 @ 3:30 in the afternoon, Katie went home to be with Jesus and was reunited with her husband, Otto. A life of service, faith and Christian example is called home - well lived!
The family would like to thank the staff at Hallmark in Abbotsford and more recently, TRIM in Mission, for the care and love they showed our Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandma.
A memorial service for Katie will be held Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Woodlawn Funeral Home, 2310 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford, BC V2T2X5.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Katie's memory may be made to Greater Vancouver Youth Unlimited, https://www.youthunlimited.com/donate.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.woodlawnfh-abbotsford.com for the Rast family.
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