Helen Frances Wolfe

Our mother, Helen Frances Wolfe (nee Toews), was born prematurely on November 22, l921 in Zagradovka, Ukraine to Franz and Lena Toews (Berg), the fifth of seven children. In 1924 the family emigrated to Canada arriving first in Quebec, then moving to southern Alberta where they worked on a Hutterite farm until 1929. After that Grandpa relocated to Saskatoon where together with his brother-in-law they bought a mixed farm of one section of land. Unfortunately, there were no crops due to the depression, so they returned the title to the former owner and moved to northern Alberta where Mom’s oldest brother, Cornie, had told the family about a free quarter section on land IF they cleared it and built a house, which proved to be extremely difficult. (Grandpa had been an excellent accountant in the Ukraine, but he was totally inexperienced at farming). The local school burned in a grass fire, so Mom and her siblings had to walk 3 miles one way to attend school.

The most difficult experience for Mom during this time was the death of her mother in 1934 when she was only thirteen years old. She told us stories of having no medical care and having to hold her mother down during protracted seizures before she died. The family was bitterly poor until Grandpa remarried in l937 and the family moved to Yarrow, BC. Mom finished her schooling there until she was sixteen when she began contributing to the family income by picking hops, peas, tobacco, and raspberries. She loved attending Bible school from October to Easter from 1938 to 1942. It was during these years that Mom’s faith grew and she was baptized at Yarrow M.B. Church in 1938. For two summers she taught DVBS for the Western Children’s Mission with a close friend. During the war, Mom began to work as a maid for wealthy people in Vancouver. While there she lived in the Maedchen Heim (Girl’s Home) with other Mennonite girls.

She met Peter Wolfe at church. Although they were forbidden to date, they saw each other in group settings and fell in love. For several years they corresponded while Dad was working in a forestry camp as a conscientious objector. They were married on June 4, l944 at Yarrow M. B. Church. At first they lived on Lulu Island where Dad worked in a dairy at Brooksbank Farm. In 1946 they moved to Yarrow and lived in a new chicken barn which was covered in shiplap which allowed snow to drift through the cracks into the bedroom. Helen became critically ill with pneumonia and pleurisy for several months. Finally, antibiotics arrived and Mom recovered.

After saving up $1000 Mom and Dad bought seven acres on Lumsden Road on the Vedder River just outside of Yarrow. As they could afford it, Dad began building their two-story house. Meanwhile they planted raspberries as their cash crop. Their first daughter was born in 1948. When the market crashed that first summer, Dad had to sell their car to pay the berry pickers. Gradually Dad began to gain more carpentry experience and was promoted to foreman and eventually supervisor of large construction projects leaving mom as a stay-at-home mother who looked after their family of four children (Diane, 1948, Kathleen 1950, Peter 1955, and Alex 1959). When Dad was out of town Mom had to milk the cow and make butter. She planted a huge vegetable garden every year and canned jars and jars of meat, fruit, and vegetables.

Mom was a very creative seamstress; we always had new outfits for school and for Christmas including a set of matching pyjamas every year. For years Mom taught Sunday School at Yarrow M. B. Church. Mom and Dad lived at Lumsden Road for 28 years after which they moved to a lovely spacious view property on Highland Drive to Mom’s dream home in the fall of l973. Dad was often away out of town on construction jobs leaving Mom to run the home alone. In 1993 Mom was widowed after Dad deteriorated for several years following a stroke.

In 1994 Mom moved to a townhouse in Ellwood Place in Abbotsford where she lived for ten years. She began doing volunteer work most days of the week: visiting shut-ins, working in the gift shop at Garden Park Tower, volunteering at Tabor Home and sorting clothes for MCC. She enjoyed participating in the Yarrow M.B. Church ladies’ club where she helped by cutting pieces for blankets for MCC and by knitting pneumonia vests for newborns. After she moved to Abbotsford, she participated in a Bible study of former Yarrowites. When their leader became ill and had to quit, Mom took over leading the Bible study for five years. She attended Yarrow M.B. until 2008 when her deteriorating eyesight made her give up driving. Then she attended Clearbrook M.B. and began listening to the services when she could no longer walk there on her own. Reluctantly she had to quit sewing and crocheting as well. She moved to a condo in Wedgwood Place where she continued to live independently from 2004 until June 2 of this year when she moved to the Menno Home because of her declining health. After a brief bout with pneumonia, Mom went home peacefully to be with Jesus in the early morning hours of July 10, 2016.

Our mother was predeceased by her husband Peter in 1993, parents, two sisters, three brothers and a daughter-in-law, Carol. Mourning her passing are her four children, Diane Martens (Victor), Kathleen McNaughton (Don), Peter (Annette), Alexandra Christon, her ten grandchildren Peter Martens (Natsuki), Andrew Martens (Julia), Melanie McNaughton, Marlise McNaughton (Guy), Rachel Richardson (Chris), Erik Wolfe (Holly), Kelly MacIntyre (Conrad), Michael Christon (Brittany), Justine Christon, Jared Christon and seven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Erna Hamm and two sisters-in-law Helen Kaethler and Audrey Wolfe as well as many other extended family members.

In Memory of our Mom a donation to MB Missions, #300 - 32040 Downes Road, Abbotsford, BC V4X 1X5 would be appreciated.

Arrangements under the direction of Woodlawn Funeral Home, Abbotsford, BC.